“It’s not about being a parent-therapist, but simply a parent”: the silent pillars of autism care - a qualitative study of fathers’ experiences

Despite increasing attention to autism caregiving, the emotional and relational experiences of fathers remain insufficiently understood. This study explores how caregiving shapes fathers’ emotional experiences, close relationships, and paternal identity within the context of autism. This qualitative descriptive study draws on 14 in-depth interviews with fathers actively involved in raising autistic children. The interviews were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, following Braun and Clar