Does father still know best? An inductive thematic analysis of popular TV sitcoms.

Abstract

Domestic situational television comedies were examined for various themes of father involvement. Twelve programs from the six major networks were recorded during the fall 2004 season. All instances that involved either discussion or fulfillment of the father role were transcribed. Inductive thematic analysis led to the identification of three themes: various ways fathers interact with children (spending quality time, emotion-based behaviors, and teaching life lessons); how fathers of varying racial/ethnic groups and socioeconomic status are depicted; and negative messages regarding fathering (foolish or immature behaviors and being the butt of family members’ jokes). Fathers in family-based sitcoms engage in a variety of actions that transmit both positive and negative messages about their place within the family. These messages are consistent with the difficulty associated with fathering in contemporary families, a role whose expectations are often ambiguous.