The Experience of Being Fathered of Mexican-origin Male Youth

Abstract

Fathers are important influences for the healthy development during the transition to adulthood of their children. Despite the theoretical acknowledgement of the reciprocal nature of the father–child relationship, we currently know very little about the experience of being fathered, particularly of immigrant male youth. Drawing on qualitative data from a study of Mexican-origin male youth in Chicago, this article documents the respondents’ experiences of their fathers as providers, role models and authority figures. The analysis reveals however, that the respondents experienced these rather traditional father roles in different ways, ranging from extreme violence and neglect to dedication and sacrifice, which in turn, led to rejection, modification, or emulation in their own conceptions of fatherhood. The findings urge researchers to examine the long-term effects of being fathered among immigrant youth and more specifically, how the experience of being fathered leads to different or similar patterns of fathering behavior later in life.