FatheringPub Date : 2015-12-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1303.219
Yaliu He, J. Dworkin
{"title":"Cyber Dads: What Are Fathers Doing Online?","authors":"Yaliu He, J. Dworkin","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1303.219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1303.219","url":null,"abstract":"Based on fathers’ responses to an online survey (N = 253), the comparison of the frequency of fathers’ general online activities and online activities for parenting, and the associations between fathers’ demographics and their online parenting activities were investigated. Furthermore, fathers’ attitudes towards online parenting resources, and the purpose for being involved in online parenting activities were explored. Results revealed that fathers engaged in each online activity significantly more frequently for general than for parenting purposes. Fathers’ age, race, education, income and residential area influenced their online parenting behaviors. Furthermore, despite fathers being comfortable using computers, they did not have a positive attitude toward online parenting resources. Implications for parenting education and family professionals are discussed.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"372 3","pages":"219-230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72441319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2015-04-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1301.36
A. Machin
{"title":"Mind the Gap: The expectation and reality of involved fatherhood","authors":"A. Machin","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1301.36","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1301.36","url":null,"abstract":"It is now the expectation within the UK that fathers will be actively involved in the birth and care of their offspring; they will be “involved fathers”. However, studies have shown that a gap exists between this expectation and the reality. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques this study aims to explore the reasons for this disparity by documenting the experiences of 15 first-time fathers over an 8 month period from 7 months gestation to 6 months post-birth. Analysis of questionnaire and interview data produces five key themes which give insight into some of the reasons for the gap: the role of the father, bonding and co-parenting, experience of the National Health Service (NHS) and father wellbeing, work life and government and society. While fathers are keen to fulfil the role of the involved father they are prevented from fulfilling this desire by societal attitudes, issues relating to the development of their baby, economic barriers, a lack of support from healthcare practitioners and government policies which do not provide realistic prospects for fathers to be involved. Fathers experience considerable tension when trying to balance their desire to be involved with their baby with the economic necessity to work. This situation is exacerbated by a lack of targeted support. Implications for future practice are considered.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"13 1","pages":"36-59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69848337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2015-04-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1301.1
Gail E. Bentley, Anisa M. Zvonkovic, Mike McCarty, N. Springer
{"title":"Down Syndrome and Fathering: An Exploration of Ambiguous Loss","authors":"Gail E. Bentley, Anisa M. Zvonkovic, Mike McCarty, N. Springer","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1301.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1301.1","url":null,"abstract":"Fathers of children with Down syndrome (DS) described their attitudes and coping behaviors, responses were evaluated in the context of Ambiguous Loss theory, using a person-oriented, mixed-methods approach. In general, the fathers expressed the ambiguity of loving the child they had while mourning a life they may have anticipated. Three clusters of fathers (Mastering, Connecting, and Thriving) were identified and described. Mastering cluster fathers used action-oriented coping strategies to manage their life. Connecting cluster fathers engaged in outreach activities related to DS. Thriving cluster fathers embraced their life and reframed their experiences as giving them a sense of purpose or higher meaning. Ambiguous loss theory provided a non-deficit lens to better understand this group of fathers of children with DS.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"13 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69847646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2015-04-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1301.18
P. Gray, E. Brown
{"title":"Fatherhood in St. Kitts: Patterns and Predictors of Partnership and Paternal Dynamics in a Caribbean Island","authors":"P. Gray, E. Brown","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1301.18","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1301.18","url":null,"abstract":"While paternal investment is a defining feature of human behavioral biology, it is also considerably variable, with previous research on African Caribbean fatherhood pointing to a high prevalence of visiting relationships and blended families within which children are raised. The aims of the present study were to characterize key patterns of paternal behavior and to test three hypotheses concerning variation in fatherhood in the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. One hundred two fathers 21–40 years of age completed a questionnaire providing sociodemographic, partnership and paternal data. The sample consisted of working fathers expressing generally favorable paternal attitudes and investments in a relatively low-fertility context. Results revealed key ways in which relationship dynamics structure paternal outcomes, and differences in biological and stepfathering subject to both between- and within-subject analyses.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"13 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69847736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2015-04-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1301.60
J. Stykes
{"title":"What Matters Most? Money, Relationships, and Visions of Masculinity as Key Correlates of Father Involvement","authors":"J. Stykes","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1301.60","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1301.60","url":null,"abstract":"This research examines the influence of human capital and masculine identity on fathers’ verbal interactions with children. Random effects techniques were applied to the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study and addressed the importance of time-variant indicators of economic capital and relational capital alongside fathers’ visions of masculinity at the child’s birth. Results indicated that higher levels of human capital were positively associated with father involvement—though relational capital was more consequential for involvement than economic capital. Visions of masculinity served as a poor predictor of father involvement suggesting masculinities per se did not influence father involvement. Findings suggested program and policy initiatives designed to encourage co-parenting and healthy relationships with birth mothers might be more effective in bolstering involvement than educational or training programs.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"13 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69848388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2015-04-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1301.80
Manuela Avilés-Hernández, Carmina Pérez-Pérez
{"title":"Lone Fatherhood in Spain: An Increasing Familiar Reality","authors":"Manuela Avilés-Hernández, Carmina Pérez-Pérez","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1301.80","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1301.80","url":null,"abstract":"Towards the end of the twentieth century, researchers began to notice that the number of families with a single male was increasing in many western countries, and furthermore, that it was doing so at a greater rate than those headed by a single female. This article explores the causes favoring this increase and undertakes a more indepth examination of the Spanish situation. The aim is to determine the degree to which the social and family context of Spain lies behind these changes. At the same time, the socio-demographic characteristics of the fathers and children that make up lone father families in Spain are discussed.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"13 1","pages":"80"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69848457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2014-09-22DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1203.283
Elisabeth Duursma
{"title":"The Effects of Fathers' and Mothers' Reading to Their Children on Language Outcomes of Children Participating in Early Head Start in the United States","authors":"Elisabeth Duursma","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1203.283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1203.283","url":null,"abstract":"It is well known that reading aloud affects children’s language and literacy development. Little is known though, about fathers reading to their children. This study examined paternal and maternal bookreading frequency among 430 low-income families and investigated whether paternal bookreading and maternal bookreading predicted children’s early language and cognitive development and emergent literacy skills. Results demonstrated that mothers read more frequently to their toddlers than fathers but approximately 55% of fathers reported reading at least weekly to their children. Paternal bookreading at 24 and 36 months significantly predicted children’s language and cognitive skills at age 36 months as well as their book knowledge at preK. Maternal bookreading was only a significant predictor of child cognitive skills at 36 months.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"12 1","pages":"283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69847605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2014-03-22DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1202.161
N. Astone, H. Peters
{"title":"Longitudinal Influences on Men’s Lives: Research from the Transition to Fatherhood Project and Beyond","authors":"N. Astone, H. Peters","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1202.161","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1202.161","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper we discuss findings from the Transition to Fatherhood Project, as well as other research, to consider how changes in fatherhood may affect men. We first outline how the context of fathering has changed over the past half a century; we focus particularly on non-marital fatherhood, non-custodial fatherhood and multiple- partner fertility. Then, in the second part of the paper, we summarize what the literature can tell us about the employment and health consequences of fatherhood for men in different contexts and the intrinsic benefits from direct involvement with children. We close with a call for more research on the motivations for fatherhood, how fatherhood affects men differently and on how men think about fatherhood. In addition, we call for public policy based on the idea that children need time as well as money from their fathers.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"12 1","pages":"161-173"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73498441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2014-01-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1201.71
M. Easterbrooks, Maryna Raskin, Sarah F. Mcbrian
{"title":"Father Involvement and Toddlers’ Behavior Regulation: Evidence from a High Social Risk Sample","authors":"M. Easterbrooks, Maryna Raskin, Sarah F. Mcbrian","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1201.71","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1201.71","url":null,"abstract":"Using a sample of 401 adolescent mothers (16-20 years of age at childbirth) and their firstborn toddlers, we examined relations between father involvement, mother-father relationships, and toddlers’ socioemotional functioning. Mothers reported on father involvement and father-mother relationship quality (support, conflict, intimate partner violence). Children’s behavior problems and social competence were assessed using the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA). The expected positive influence of high father involvement on toddlers was absent when parents were in conflict, or had high intimate partner violence (IPV). Results are discussed in light of the current emphasis on policies and programs to support father involvement and suggest that enhancing the quality of father-mother relationships may facilitate the potential positive effects of father involvement on children’s functioning.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"12 1","pages":"71-93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3149/FTH.1201.71","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69847068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FatheringPub Date : 2014-01-01DOI: 10.3149/FTH.1201.3
Whitney L. Rostad, Anna Marie Medina, Paige Hurtig-Crosby
{"title":"Fathers in the Dorm Room: The Unique Influence of Fathers and Mothers on Young Adult Functioning","authors":"Whitney L. Rostad, Anna Marie Medina, Paige Hurtig-Crosby","doi":"10.3149/FTH.1201.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3149/FTH.1201.3","url":null,"abstract":"A sample of college students (N = 129; mean age = 19 years) at a small, religious university in the Pacific Northwest completed questionnaires assessing parental acceptance and rejection, depression, coping, and social experiences. Depression was positively related to perceived father acceptance and inversely related to his rejection, but not to either mother variables. Interestingly, only fathers’ acceptance was inversely related to depression for daughters, whereas only mothers’ acceptance was similarly related to sons’ depression. Mothers’ acceptance was positively related to perceived social support from significant others, whereas fathers’ acceptance and rejection—but not mothers’—were positively and inversely related, respectively, to social experiences with friends. Results highlight distinct associations between father- versus mother-child relationships and young adult socio-emotional outcomes.","PeriodicalId":88482,"journal":{"name":"Fathering","volume":"12 1","pages":"3-17"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3149/FTH.1201.3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69847459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}