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Training Materials The Relationship Checkup is a series of questions designed and sequenced to initiate and encourage ongoing dialogue between dads and their children. It’s a structured way to have a heart-to-heart
talk about two central themes: everyday lives and the relationship with each other.
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Journal Article A total of 82 separated and divorced fathers were interviewed in a study utilizing thematic analysis to examine fathers’ narratives about their divorce experiences, particularly in regard to their relationship with their children, and grounded theory analysis to uncover themes related to fathers’ perceptions of their children’s needs, and parental and social institutional responsibilities to these needs, during the divorce transition. We found that contextual factors, particularly the legal custody determination process, largely determine both the level of paternal involvement and quality…
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Journal Article Paternal involvement with children is associated with better outcomes for children and family functioning. There are, however, few data examining the intersection of cultural norms and paternal involvement. For Latino fathers in the United States, paternal involvement may vary on the basis of cultural and gender norms, acculturation process, and ethnic identity. The current study used self-report surveys to examine the perceptions of 67 Latino fathers regarding their paternal involvement, machismo (i.e., macho and caballerismo), degree of acculturation, and ethnic identity. The bivariate…
Brief
This brief describes implementation findings from the evaluation of Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Reentering Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP) funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). It documents innovative parenting supports provided to incarcerated and reentering fathers and their families. (Author abstract)
A father will always play a vital role in a child's growing years, especially sons. His absence or presence in the child's life will have a profound impact in the future. In Black Fathers Black Sons, author Ray Waters delves into the relationships of African-American men and reveals new insights that will fuel debate and debunk many myths. (Author abstract)
Fathers' responses to parenthood and to their infants, the processes by which infants become attached, and differences in the nature and impact of mother- and father-child relationships are explored. Factors that influence father-child interactions and relationships are discussed, as well as characteristics of father-child relationships and changes in the relationship from childhood to adolescence. Numerous references.
Webinar
This webinar discussed ways in which fatherhood practitioners can help men understand: the impact of our own upbringing on our attitudes and approach to marriage and parenting; how different stages of marriage and child development impact a relationship; ways to balance the needs of your children with the needs of your wife; essential communication and conflict resolution skills; and, strategies to deal with the inevitable stresses of family life. (Author abstract)
Public policy initiatives to promote nonresidential father involvement tend to focus on economic involvement over social and emotional involvement. The 2006 reauthorization of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)included funding for "responsible fatherhood" programming and the recently introduced Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act of 2009 (RFHFA) would increase this funding. Using the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being dataset, this paper hypothesized that paternal, maternal, child and relational factors would predict non-residential…
Brief
This short paper focuses on the role that information giving and other more complex interventions with both parents can play in tackling some of the modifiable variables associated with decline in relationship satisfaction over the transition to parenthood. A wide range of delivery options are considered, including by volunteers and the private sector. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article One third of all children in the United States have a nonresident parent. On the basis of 13,085 children with a nonresident parent drawn from the 1997 National Survey of America's Families, this study examines nonresident mothers' and fathers' involvement (visitation and child support) with children who reside in different household types: single-parent families, married and cohabiting stepfamilies, and families headed by grandparents, other relatives, or nonrelatives. The relationship between children's living arrangements and nonresident parent involvement is complex and depends on both…
