ACT Dad Interview: ACT for Fathers of Children With Special Needs

NCT07591636 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ACT Dad interview
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this qualitative study is to develop a therapy protocol for fathers of children with special needs in Hong Kong. The therapy is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people cope with difficult emotions by building psychological flexibility - the ability to accept and adjust to hard situations. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.What are the experiences and needs of fathers raising children with special needs?
2. 2.What content and format of an ACT programme would be most helpful for these fathers?
3. 3.Take part in a recorded focus group interview
4. 4.Share their experiences, challenges, and views on what an ACT program should include

Conditions

Parenting Stress; Developmental Disabilities; Special Needs Children; FATHER; Caregiver Mental Health

Keywords

mental health; Father; psychological flexibility; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Qualitative Study; Special Needs

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Psychological flexibility

  Qualitative method, conducted in the form of individual semi-structured interviews.

  immediately after the interview

• Mental Health

  Qualitative method, conducted in the form of individual semi-structured interviews.

  immediately after the interview

Study Arms (1)

SEN father and social workers

Other: Semi-structured Focus Group Interview

Interventions

Semi-structured Focus Group Interview OTHER

Participants will take part in a 60 to 90-minute, video-recorded, semi-structured focus group interview conducted in Cantonese.

SEN father and social workers

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Biological fathers of children aged 2 to 12 years with a formal diagnosis of a developmental disability (including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or intellectual disability), and social workers with experience working with these families. All participants are able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese.

You may qualify if:

• are the biological fathers of children aged 2 to 12 years,
• are with a child having a formal diagnosis of a developmental disability, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, or related neurodevelopmental conditions,
• are able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese.

You may not qualify if:

• Fathers with physical or cognitive impairment
• Father with learning problems as identified from NGO or related medical records
• For social workers,
• have experience in working with biological fathers of children aged 2 to 12 years who have a formal diagnosis of a developmental disability, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, or related neurodevelopmental conditions,
• are able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Developmental Disabilities; Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Ka Wai Katherine LAM, Doctor of Philosophy

CONTACT

+852 27666420; kw-katherine.lam@polyu.edu.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 9, 2026
• First Posted: May 18, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share