Contemporary Fatherhood Research Articles

Fathering dynamics: Linking depressive symptomology, parenting stress, and paternal warmth with beliefs in paternal role.

Research has established the impact of paternal depression on fathering behaviors and child outcomes. Despite this, less is known about the mechanisms linking paternal depressive symptomology to paternal warmth, particularly regarding the role of parenting stress and beliefs in the centrality of the paternal role. The aim of this study was to examine factors potentially associated with paternal warmth. Specifically, we explored the association between paternal depressive symptomology and paternal warmth, examining the mediating role of paternal parenting stress in this association. Moreover, we tested the moderated role of beliefs in the centrality of the paternal role in the association between paternal parenting stress and paternal warmth. We utilized a subsample of fathers (n = 756; Mage = 34.3) with young children from the Survey of Contemporary Fatherhood study. Moderated mediation analysis was performed to test the association between paternal depressive symptomology, parenting stress, paternal warmth, and beliefs in the centrality of the paternal role among fathers. Results indicate a significant association between higher paternal depressive symptomology and increased parenting stress, which, in turn, was associated with reduced paternal warmth. Furthermore, positive beliefs in the centrality of the paternal role buffered the association between parenting stress and paternal warmth. These findings underscore the importance of considering parenting stress and fathering beliefs in psychosocial intervention programs aimed at improving fathering behaviors. Targeting fathers with mental health problems and negative parenting beliefs in intervention approaches may yield the most significant benefits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Introducing dadness

ABSTRACT Based on interviews and a focus group with fathers 1 who attended four dads’ groups in the South of England, this paper introduces the concept of ‘dadness’. Dadness is in circulation in the public sphere and has been noted in a handful of published sources, yet it has not received academic attention. This article conceptualizes ‘dadness’ and presents it as a useful concept within contemporary fatherhood and family studies, as well as noting the term’s accessibility. The term dadness is understood by men in this study as combining their individual fathering identity and their values about the fathering role, with actual day-to-day fathering practices. Interpretation of the data infers eight aspects of dadness that draw together existing conceptualizations of fathering and fatherhood in terms of accessibility, engagement and responsibility; ‘active fathering’; warmth, positive engagement activities, decision-making, responsiveness, care; intimacy; and embodiment. Dadness describes both how men think about fatherhood and enact their fathering practices, and is accessible (it is a term men readily understand and feel able to use). This article invites a debate about whether the concept of dadness has a wider potential outside of the specific context of a small-scale study in southern England.

The Tato.Net Initiative – A Program Developed by the Cyryl and Metody Foundation in Support of Contemporary Fatherhood

This study aims to present the operation of the Tato.Net Initiative [Dad.Net] implemented by the Cyryl and Metody Foundation (hereafter referred to as the Foundation). The programme was launched in 2004 to promote conscious and responsible fatherhood among contemporary men through self-education and self-formation amidst a crisis in masculinity, brought on by modern civilisation, and its negative consequences with regard to fatherhood. The Tato.Net programme implements initiatives and projects to strengthen families through the empowering presence of the father, both in the physical and spiritual sense. The programme also engages in cooperation with social organisations and institutions that similarly advance the culture of responsible fatherhood. All actions undertaken by Tato.Net reflect the idea of fatherhood, with the project itself founded on two primary values: the empowerment of a family by the presence of the father and the promotion of a culture of responsible fatherhood. The paper presents different projects executed by the Foundation in a few countries.

Factors associated with contemporary fatherhood.

The most prevalent conceptualization of parenting of our time is intensive parenting which refers to parents' overinvolvement in children's lives, placing the child's needs before others' needs, including the needs of the parents themselves (i.e., Child-centrism). Intensive parenting is mostly attributed to mothers as they are still bearing the bulk responsibility for child rearing. Nevertheless, as the role of fathers changed in recent decades it is crucial to examine intensive parenting among fathers and understand whether factors that are associated with intensive mothering are associated with intensive fatherhood as well. The current study uses Belsky's Process of Parenting model to fill-in the gap. Participants were 301 Israeli fathers of preschool children aged 22 to 50 years old (M=36.34, SD=5.01). They filled out online self-report questionnaires dealing with intensive parenting style, child temperament, social support, marital satisfaction, and parental self-efficacy. The model explained 64% of paternal child-centrism. Fathers who reported having children with more difficult temperament, reported low social support, low marital satisfaction, and low self-efficacy, were more intensive in their parenting style. The present findings are discussed in relation to previous findings regarding maternal child-centrism with an emphasis on their important implications for professionals working with families for the benefit of parents' and children's wellbeing.

Contemporary Fathers, Care, and the Law

Contemporary Fathers, Care, and the Law

Fathers in Europe: Policies, constructions and practices. Introduction to the Special Collection

Objective: To introduce the readers to the Journal of Family Research’s Special Collection about fatherhood-related political frameworks, social constructions of fatherhood and masculinity, and practices of fathers in Europe. Background: Fatherhood research has proliferated in recent decades and reflects that paternal involvement is closely linked to national policies, to prevailing social normative understandings of fatherhood, and also varies in practice. Method: Except for the review article, the contributions of this Special Collection draw on empirical data, including quantitative analyses of large-scale data, such as the European Social Survey, the QUIDAN-Survey, and the DJI “Growing up in Germany” survey, and qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews. Results: The six contributions vary in focus and illustrate a wide range of approaches to the understanding of fatherhood constructions and practices as well as the political frameworks that shape contemporary fatherhood in Europe. The contributions study fatherhood in the context of the transition to parenthood, parenting practices, the composition of working environments as well as in social work practice. Conclusion: The discussion of fatherhood constructions and practices as well as related political frameworks is crucial to understanding which social conditions facilitate and hinder father involvement in Europe.

Earning the Role: Father Role Institutionalization and the Achievement of Contemporary Fatherhood

Abstract Fatherhood has become an achieved status among complex, disadvantaged families. Stepfathers may have an advantage over nonresident biological fathers in earning the father role; in-depth interview studies reveal that nonresident fathers are often stripped of the father label while stepfathers commonly achieve it instead. This stepfather advantage is surprising given extant institutionalization theory, which suggests that the stronger institutionalization of the biological father role should benefit nonresident fathers over stepfathers. Drawing on 55 in-depth interviews with adolescents and their primary caregivers, we recenter youth agency in family theory by exploring how some men and not others earn the father role from the perspective of their adolescent children. We find that the strongly institutionalized role obligations of biological fathers impeded rather than aided nonresident father-child engagement. When nonresident fathers did not meet institutionalized expectations, adolescents experienced psychological trauma and usually resisted their attempts to become more involved. In contrast, the incomplete institutionalization of the stepparent role benefited stepfather-stepchild relations by allowing stepfathers to flexibly adapt to complex family dynamics. Further, stepfathers more easily met, and even exceeded, their stepchildren’s limited expectations of them. Thus, stepfathers may face a lower cultural bar for and gain greater satisfaction from fulfilling the father role than nonresident biological fathers.

Individualization and contemporary fatherhood

Objective: This article explores dilemmas related to contemporary fatherhood and discusses how theories of individualization enable the understanding of social change and family life. Background: Theories on modernization argue that ongoing processes of individualization challenge researchers to reinvent key concepts in family sociology. The concept of intimate fatherhood allows for the exploration of men’s family practices and presents a basis for understanding what modernization means for contemporary parenthood. Intimate fatherhood can be further theorized through empirically sensitive approaches in the study of everyday family life. Method: Drawing on data from a mixed-method longitudinal study comprising four waves of data from the 1968 cohort in Denmark (n = 1,414), the study analyzes qualitative interviews from the second and fourth waves. Social psychological discourse analysis of the interviews is used to explore the participants' family practices. Results: The analysis examines how caring intimacy in contemporary fatherhood is interwoven in a complex entanglement with other positions related to partnering and provision. Individualization is theorized as a mode of orientation in life with reference to oneself but not counterposed to social ties and family practices signified by solidarity and togetherness. Conclusion: Individualization theory can guide analytical attention when examining contemporary fatherhood, but such analyses must remain sensitive to the complex entanglement of everyday family life.

SOME ASPECTS OF RESEARCH ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF FATHERS IN THE UPBRINGING OF CHILDREN

This paper discusses a basic construct in the study of contemporary fatherhood – father involvement, focusing on different methodological approaches to studying father involvement in the upbringing of children. The paper emphasizes the great importance of father’s involvement, analyzed effects and causes of (non)involvement. Various aspects of paternity research examined in numerous studies were selected and analyzed in order to suggest a new theoretical and methodological support, inspiration, as well as the directions for further research. The obtained results of the research proved that a variety of methodological approaches could be devised only by understanding the idea of the multidimensionality of the construct of father involvement in the upbringing of children. Some of the most popular quantitative and qualitative approaches and their techniques were highlighted and described in more detail. The paper highlights the limitations of both approaches, stating that a systemic perspective in understanding and in a methodological approach to measuring the involvement of fathers could be perceived as the solution. The data presented in the paper were based on the scientific knowledge. Namely, research methods may have several modalities, comprising a number of research techniques. The presented paper uses the method of theoretical analysis based on literature analysis of various theoretical and empirical findings of the involvement of fathers in the upbringing of children.

Rola ojca w edukacji dzieci w wieku wczesnoszkolnym

The present text deals with the role of contemporary father evolves in connection with cultural changes, globalisation, medialization and technological progress. Such a role involves participation and acceptance of the new model of activity. The family life is more threatened with family members lack of integration, conflict spouses, freedom in marriage and weakening emotional bond between family members. The article deals with an analysis of father s roles in early primary scool education. It elaborates consists of two parts-theoretical one and research results. An importatnt element of of the analysis is cooperation between fathers and teachers. Father /family as a smallest social unit and the basic educational environment can help and support children success. Many factors such as age, education, environment influence fathers s activity. The variety of the research conducted among 669 fathers of early school-age children. It was carried out in the years 2018–2020 in 2020 in Poland.

Dad taught me nothing about relationships and sexuality: how contemporary Australian fathers became sex ed dads

This mixed methods study explored Australian fathers’ views about relationships and sexuality education (RSE) and their role within it. In the article we examine contemporary fathers’ engagement with discussing relationships and sexuality with their children, compared to their recollections of their own fathers’ involvement. We draw on survey data from 612 diverse Australian fathers of children aged 3-12 years and interview data from 10 fathers. We find that, according to participants’ self-reports, fathers’ involvement in RSE has increased from one generation to the next. We identify five domains that have influenced this change: shifting norms regarding the role of fathers, gender and sexuality; a rejection of their own fathers’ approach; concerns for daughters; the women in their lives; and a sense of responsibility. We argue that schools and other RSE providers should engage with these domains to support fathers to take greater strides towards strengthened engagement in RSE with their children.

Men’s Healing Work: Reconciling Intergenerational Ambivalence Through Fatherhood, Letter Writing, and Community

Due to globalization, new ideals of fatherhood are challenging traditional paternal roles in South Korea. Contemporary fathers striving to emulate more engaged parenting sometimes wrestle with painful recollections of their own fathers’ stern, distant, and patriarchal approach. How do men reconcile their aspirations for their own development as parents when conflicted relationships with their fathers? Motivated by the concept of intergenerational ambivalence, this study analyzes letters South Korean men write to their fathers as assigned homework for Father School, an international men’s movement that aims to make men more nurturing. Under Father School direction, men adopt a life course frame that allows them to reconcile their mixed feelings toward their aging fathers. Analysis points to three life course discursive strategies that permit men to balance negative judgments with positive ones: 1) sharing with their parent the life stage as worker and father; 2) appreciating historically-situated differences between twentieth and twenty-first century lives and parenting imperatives; and, 3) drawing on deeply rooted filial norms to take responsibility for their own role in intergenerational conflicts. In addressing how these men manage intergenerational ambivalence, the article moves beyond prior research to extend the concept to father-son dyads, the Asian context, and the neglected meso-level where organizations may actively structure reconciliation.

Desistance, persistence, resilience and resistance: A qualitative exploration of how Black fathers with criminal records navigate employer discrimination

While research suggests a growing proclivity amongst contemporary fathers towards emotional involvement and child caregiving, studies indicate that most men still experience unrelenting pressure to provide financially for their family. For some fathers, the ability to spend time with their children is contingent on financial provision. Fathering, therefore, can be dependent on employment. The intersection of Blackness, maleness, and a criminal record, however, often results in employer discrimination, which hinders reentering Black men’s ability to secure legitimate revenue streams and achieve fathering expectations. In response to these barriers, many men agentically create opportunities for themselves in order to provide for their families. Framed using Sites of Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth, the current study draws from qualitative data and adds to the literature by focusing on the act of hurdling rather than the hurdles faced upon reentry. Findings demonstrate how hustling upon reentry is not a display of persistent criminal character but, rather, reflects a resilient response to systemic racism and blocked opportunities. The discussion on policy implications is led by participant suggestions on how to deter criminal activity while providing opportunities for men with criminal records to support their families.

Father-Adolescent Relationship Closeness: A Path Analysis of Family Factor Associates with Father-Adolescent Engagement and Relationship Quality

Father-adolescent child relationship quality has been identified as key to adolescent health outcomes. While factors have previously been identified associated with father-adolescent closeness, a comprehensive model of understanding the influence of these factors is needed. Using cross-sectional data from the Study of Contemporary Fatherhood (SCF), this analysis of father-adolescent relationship closeness evaluated responses of nine hundred (N = 900) father surveys to investigate historical factors, including own father relationship quality, biological fathering, family transitions, and ACEs along with current factors, including co-parenting, depression, parenting stress, knowledge of adolescent, warmth, and engagement, on father-adolescent relationship closeness. Path analysis results indicate that father-adolescent relationship closeness was found to be positively associated with current factors, including co-parenting (p = .005), parenting stress (p = .008), parent depression (p = .004), parent knowledge of adolescent (p < .001), and warmth (p < .001), but not parent engagement. Historical factors, including ACEs, family transitions, family of origin biological father, and own father relationship quality, were not significant predictors of father-adolescent closeness. Implications of this study include the importance of current familial factors on promoting father-adolescent relationship closeness, particularly in family interventions for fathers.

Are father depression and masculinity associated with father perceptions of maternal gatekeeping?

Maternal gatekeeping has been associated with reductions in father involvement and can have a negative impact on the family. Few researchers, however, have focused on how characteristics of the father contribute to gatekeeping. Consequently, this brief report is focused on associations between father depression, father adherence to masculine norms, and father reports of maternal gatekeeping. We further test whether a father's adherence to traditional masculine norms interacts with the relationship between depression and father reports of maternal gatekeeping. This study adds to the current literature on both maternal gatekeeping and father mental health. Participants in this study include 2,214 fathers from the Survey of Contemporary Fatherhood including 73% White, 10% African American, 11% Hispanic/Latinx, and 6% from other races. It was found that fathers who reported higher levels of depression also reported higher levels of maternal gatekeeping; masculinity moderated this association. The link between depression and gatekeeping was amplified when men adhered to masculine norms. Those fathers who were highest in depression and highest in masculinity were also highest in their reports of maternal gatekeeping. Although gatekeeping has historically been considered a problematic behavior, our findings suggest that when a mother's gatekeeping is correlated with potential fathering risk factors (such as depression and masculine norm adherence), gatekeeping may be a tool a mother uses to protect her children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Experiences of Fathers of Young Children With Severe Congenital Heart Defects in Korea: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

PurposeThis qualitative descriptive study sought to explore the experiences of fathers of children with severe congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Korea. MethodsThe participants were nine fathers of children under 5 years of age who had undergone open heart surgery within the last 5 years. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews from February to March 2015. Qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. ResultsThree themes and nine sub-themes emerged from the data. The three themes were “heartbreaking suffering,” “self-control during a great struggle,” and “being a father of a child with CHD.” This study described coping strategies that fathers used to balance their life, including self-control, redefinition of the situation, and seeking family support resources, which enabled them to practice normalization and live an ordinary life despite limitations. ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that considerable psychological distress of fathers was similar to that of mothers for weeks to months after the sudden diagnosis of CHD and heart operations. The results also depict the coping strategies, contemporary fathering experience and the parenting role of fathers in raising children with severe CHDs. Practice implicationsHealthcare professionals should understand the experience of fathers of children with severe CHDs and their needs for social support. It is also necessary to develop nursing interventions that focus on fathers' needs.

Educational aspects of fatherhood

The aim of the paper is to indicate and justify a catalogue of contemporary father’s basic competences constructing his educational role in the family. This is the perspective of the theory of education, and therefore refers to the elementary components of the structure of the education process. The catalogue of father’s educational competences is embedded in wider perspective of social and cultural diagnosis of the contemporary family.

Displaying good fathering through the construction of physical activity as intimate practice

A close father–child relationship is a potent cultural ideal in Western, post-industrial societies. This article poses physical activity as a practice through which fathers display intimacy in their relationships with their children. Utilising the premise of family display, it reveals the conduct of contemporary fathers to be suffused with meaning from the social convention that intimate fathers are ‘good fathers’. It argues that intimate fatherhood represents a discourse, serving to shape what fathers do and how they and their children display and give meaning to fathering practices.

More of a Father, or More of an Employee? The Conditions of Working Men Raising Children in Poland

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian]&#x0D; The qualitative study, conducted in 2016, was divised to explore the respondents’ perceptions on balance between their roles as employees and as parents, as well as the similarities and differences between their expectations and experiences. Using data collected from semi-structured, single-person interviews with 27 fathers of young children, living in Warsaw, Poland, we identify and explore ways in which the participants construct their description of the work-life balance, especially in the perspective of family obligations.&#x0D; By analyzing the data on the work-life balance, our study makes a unique contribution to the literature by drawing attention to the circumstances of how fathers deal with everyday decisions, some living in families with partnership relations, and how it pertains to their attitudes in terms of being fathers while failing or managing the work-life balance. The moment of family life cycle (e.g. just married couple, couple with small children, couple with teenagers, etc.) particularly the experiences of fatherhood, illustrates the different narratives of respondents. Our findings show the demand for implementing more flexibility of work into the employment market, which is especially important for parents.&#x0D; Summary&#x0D; A qualitative research, conducted as a pilot study titled The Contemporary Father – at the Crossroads of Expectations and Reality, was conducted in Warsaw in 2017. The data analysis showed that fathers with full families (husband, wife and children) do express their willingness to participate in their family lives, and especially to spend time with their children. On the other hand, most of the respondents pointed out that their main responsibility is to provide the financial security of their families, so being active at the employment market is very important for them. Meanwhile, most of the fathers expressed satisfaction from having wives/partners that are also actively employed. Fathers face difficulties in achieving a work-life balance in their lives, as the dual model of having both a career and a family seems to be the most appropriate for them. The findings show that the respondents face the constant dilemma of having to choose where to devote their time – to the family or the workplace.

Depression, Masculine Norm Adherence, and Fathering Behavior

While, overall, fathers have become more involved as parents, there may be significant variability in how involved fathers are in the lives of their children. This study examines how paternal depression and masculine norm adherence affect father involvement. Using new data from the Survey of Contemporary Fatherhood ( N = 2,181) and ordinary least squares regression models, we focus on the effect of depression on four measures of fathering behavior, with masculine norm adherence as a moderator. Results indicated that depression and masculinity had independent effects on father involvement. Furthermore, masculinity moderated the effect of depression for warmth, engagement, and use of harsh parenting—but not positive control. These results have important implications for how we think about the impact of depression on parenting and the role of socialized response in understanding fathering outcomes.