This chapter shows how conceptualization of father involvement can affect the design of intervention programs for adjudicated youth. A study involving 78 fathers of at-risk adolescents found fathers who reported using a greater number of past services for their adolescents were more likely to participate in family-based programs, as were fathers who reported poorer family problem-solving abilities, and fathers of adolescents with more severe behavior problems. A follow-up quantitative study of 20 fathers of at-risk adolescents found views on traditional family roles and feelings of inadequacy…
This chapter uses data from the Fragile Families Study to examine parental involvement by 2,776 unmarried fathers around the time of the child's birth. Findings indicate the father's ability to fulfill the provider role--demonstrated by his higher education, being employed, or higher wages--was linked to positive outcomes. Fathers who were employed were more likely to provide material support during the pregnancy and to visit the mother in the hospital; however, a father's hourly wage rate was the only significant economic characteristic predicting whether the father's name was on the…
This study analyses the ways in which intervention programs can evaluate their impact on father involvement using the Fathering Indicators Framework (FIF). It describes the conceptual and methodological issues involved in developing a framework that can address the specific needs of diverse groups of fathers, and the design and development of the FIF. A field study with fathering and family practitioners (n=36) highlights the complexities that may arise in implementing the framework in programs. 16 tables and 31 references. (Author abstract modified)
This chapter describes the theoretical foundations of the Positive Paternal Emotional Responsiveness (PPER) subscale of the Fatherhood Scale, which was designed to assess the childhood paternal bonds of adults. The PPER contains 13 questions that focus on the role of the father in the development of a healthy perception of self. Clients are asked to rate their experience with their father as a caring person and the frequency of paternal expressions of praise and love. The results can be used to identify areas for further exploration in therapy, such as strengths in the relationship between…
This chapter highlights the Developing a Daddy Survey (DADS) project, a project to increase the comparability of measures across surveys in order to generate better information about father involvement and serve as guide for future research on father involvement. It discusses the limitations of past approaches to the measurement of father involvement, describes projects that are part of DADS, provides an overview of the methodological challenges faced in collecting data on father involvement in the DADS studies that focus on being a father, and how these studies have overcome these…
Nonprofits today are being pressed to demonstrate the effectiveness of their program activities by initiating and completing outcome-oriented evaluation of projects. This guide was developed to provide practical assistance to nonprofits engaged in this process. In the pages of this guide, staff of nonprofits and community members alike are given orientation to the underlying principles of "logic modeling" to use this tool to enhance their program planning, implementation, and dissemination activities. The Guide contains four chapters and two comprehensive appendices. Chapter 1 presents a…
The Department of Health and Human Services Peer Technical Assistance Network sponsored a roundtable discussion to share ideas about programs to strengthen families who are separated by parental incarceration. Government officials, service providers, and practitioners from Tennessee, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma reviewed trends in incarceration and discussed solutions to common challenges. Prisoner re-entry, recidivism, and the impact of incarceration on children and parents specifically were discussed. Attendees noted the need to focus on nurturing stability in dysfunctional…
In response to the congressional mandate to promote two-parent families and marriage specified in the 1996 welfare reform legislation, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services embarked on an initiative to encourage healthy marriage in the broad population and especially within low-income groups. To support further progress in this area, ACF is sponsoring a large-scale, comprehensive demonstration and evaluation of programs designed to strengthen relationships and support the marital aspirations of unmarried couples expecting a…
Exemplary early childhood centers engage men in activities as staff members and participants. The programs actively communicate with fathers and encourage their involvement by sponsoring special events and by addressing the interests of men. The inclusion of men helps to reduce risk for child maltreatment by demonstrating the benefits of flexible gender roles, alleviating social isolation, developing networks of care for children, and improving relationships between adults and between parents and children. This brief includes profiles of four early childhood programs that involve men.
Findings from social science research and marriage education are cited in this report to examine the government's role in supporting healthy marriages for the benefit of children. The analysis considers reasons for public policies that address marriage issues and the elements of effective marriage policy. Studies have indicated that law and public policies about marriage reduce the risk of juvenile delinquency, child abuse, parental mental health problems, and economic stress, which can result in significant societal and monetary costs. The authors suggest that public policies seek to…
