Brief
Over the last few decades, the United States has experienced a dramatic decline in employment opportunities for unskilled men. This trend doesn't just represent an economic problem; it also represents a threat to the well-being of children. Men who are experiencing financial hardships or problems with employment often have trouble being responsible fathers. This appears to be especially true of young fathers and nonresident fathers (i.e., those living apart from their children), who are more likely to have low levels of education and job experience, to be in poor health, to have a history…
Brief
This brief discusses the need to delay early or unplanned fatherhood, and calls on policy makers intensify their focus on the responsibilities of men in preventing teen and unplanned pregnancy by addressing pregnancy planning and prevention in federally funded programs serving significant numbers of men, and reaching men more effectively in family planning programs. It recommends pregnancy planning and prevention be included as a component of such programs as responsible fatherhood, healthy relationships and marriage, education and workforce development, juvenile justice, and re-entry…
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Journal Article The effects of father absence on children have been well documented in research and range from increased risk of poverty, to increased risk of incarceration (Anderson et al. Family Relations 51(2):148-155, 2002). This study presents a longitudinal evaluation of young fathers involvement with their children conducted within the scope of a teen parenting program in Arlington County, Virginia. The respondents in the study are young, mainly Hispanic fathers who come from lower socio-economic groups. The theoretical foundation for the parenting program was derived from Prochaska's Transtheoretical…
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Journal Article This study explored the lived experience of parenting that may inform individual health practices and behavior of young, ethnic minority, primarily Latino parents, participants in a HIV prevention intervention. Narrative accounts from parents (N = 90) were analyzed to illuminate the impact of parental protectiveness and aspirations for the child. Focus groups (n = 23) were utilized to generate a nuanced understanding of young parenthood. Self-reflective, complex, and multidimensional perspectives on parental protectiveness emerged along themes: (a) "growing up thoughtful," (b) "you gotta…
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Journal Article The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic and marital status differences in family structure, risk behaviors and service requests among African American and Hispanic adolescent fathers participating in a community-based fatherhood program. Demographic factors, risk behaviors, and service requests were gathered at program entry. The results indicated that each group demonstrated distinct patterns associated with family structure, sexual risk behaviors, substance use, and criminal behavior. In comparison to African American fathers, Hispanic fathers were younger and were more likely to be…
