Being the Father of a Child Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Phenomenological Study of Fatherhood Perceptions and Lived Experiences in the Turkish Context

The present study investigated the phenomenon of being a father of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and attending an early intervention service in the Turkish context. The research was designed as a transcendental phenomenological study. The participants were seven fathers of children who were DHH. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis, and a reflective journal. The findings indicated that the fathers experienced fatherhood as a responsibility toward their DHH children and families. Although they experienced much sadness when they learned that their children were deaf, they interpreted the deafness as both the will of God and a challenge. To deal with deafness, the fathers attended an early intervention service and completed educational assignments. The fathers expressed concerned about the future of their children; thus, they said, they intended to support them as long as they, the fathers, lived.