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Journal Article Theory and research suggest that the transition to parenthood is a major life transition, and that adaptation to the parenting role is influenced by a complex set of factors, including the relationship with the child's mother, family of origin, and how the father is situated within sociocultural contexts. The father-mother relationship is particularly important for men making the transition to fatherhood. This study examined patterns of fathering among young fathers (15?24 years) and investigated how fathers' relationships with the mothers of their young children (infants and toddlers) were…
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Journal Article Data from the Fragile Families and Child-Well-being Study were used to examine predictors of involvement among fathers of young children ( N=2,215) born to adolescent and young adult mothers (ages 14-25; N=2,850). Participants were interviewed immediately following their baby's birth and at 3-years postpartum regarding co-parental relationship quality, fathers' caretaking behavior ("father involvement"), and fathers' provision of material support for the child ("in-kind" support). Early postnatal and 3-year postpartum parental relationship quality and father-child cohabitation predicted 3-…
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This research brief discusses findings from the Fragile Families Study (FFS) on the involvement of unmarried fathers with their babies during the first year. It compares the involvement of fathers in Newark, New Jersey with other unmarried fathers and offers recommendations for programming that would encourage father involvement. Findings from the study indicate 96% of the unmarried fathers in Newark said they wanted to be involved in their children's lives, and that fathers who were older, not born in the United States, were employed, had no children by other partners, had no history of…
This InfoSheet describes key messages for a level of discourse that promotes healthy fatherhood by focusing on the broad picture of 1) child well-being, 2) gender equity, 3) men's development, and 4) community development. (Author abstract)
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In these Through the Years articles, Sesame Workshop experts discuss how fathers help their children grow. They cover the crucial impact of family relationships on child development. As a child grows, his interactions with family members shape his personality and create the basis for the ways in which he will relate to other important people in his life. (Author abstract modified)
Starting a conversation with another parent can sometimes be a little intimidating. Dads can feel a little awkward in starting or carrying on a parenting conversation, particularly if they don't know the other person in that conversation well (or at all). This fact sheet offers tips on connecting with other parents including finding other dads with similar interests, the best ways to initiate contact, as well as what kinds of conversations to have with women with children. (Author abstract modified)
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Examples are provided of repentant fathers who took the initiative to restore and rebuild their relationships with their children, and strategies are discussed for becoming a growing father. Strategies include making a commitment to children, fathering with a long-range perspective in mind, and using sources of ongoing encouragement such as the mother of the children, fathering education, training materials, and accountability partners. Fathers are urged to be willing to adjust to meet the developmental needs of children, and specific action points are listed.
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Journal Article Using data on 294 adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health who live with a biological father and have both a resident stepmother and a nonresident biological mother, this study examines the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of adolescents' closeness to each of their parents. Findings demonstrate that adolescents vary in their likelihood of having close relationships to resident fathers, resident stepmothers, and nonresident biological mothers, but when they can do so, they appear to benefit. Close relationships with both resident fathers and nonresident…
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Journal Article This is a follow up to a study that showed that fathers who were either very close to their parents or very distant from their parents during childhood had more positive attitudes about father involvement prior to the birth of their first child. This current study focused on how family of origin relationships for new fathers are associated with their attitudes about father involvement at 6 and 12 months post-partum. Using a sample of 152 couples recruited during pregnancy, we examined the validity of the modeling and compensation hypotheses for understanding how family of origin experiences…
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A list of five psychological and cultural barriers that fathers face on the way to full engagement in their daughter's life. Men must understand these hurdles to be effective fathers and stepfathers -- or to work effectively with fathers and families. These hurdles may seem unnecessary, silly, or insignificant to others. But they are not silly, unnecessary, or insignificant to fathers. (Author abstract).
