Young Fathers Research Articles

Parental Age and Severity of Non-Syndromic Orofacial Clefts: Relationship with De Novo Mutations

Background: This study investigates the relationship between paternal and maternal age, and the severity of orofacial clefts and the presence of de novo mutations in children. Methods: This was a retrospective study of individuals who were diagnosed with non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and their unaffected parents, from 2012 to 2019. We obtained data from the AfriCRAN project database for Nigerians with non-syndromic orofacial clefts. These individuals were recruited at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos. Results: There was no statistically significant association between type of CL ± P and parental age in young fathers (p = 0.93). When older fathers were considered, the percentage of complete (more severe) CL ± P cases increased, especially when they were married to older mothers, and this was statistically significant (p = 0.036). In older fathers, the risk of CL ± P in their offspring was increased (OR: 2.66, CI: 1.04-6.80), and there was also an increased risk of developing right-sided CL ± P (OR: 1.61, CI: 1.0-2.59). There was a reduced risk of isolated clefts of the soft palate in younger fathers (OR: 0.36, CI: 0.07–1.71), but the risk increased when considering complete types (more severe) of isolated clefts of the hard and soft palates (OR: 1.63, CI: 0.7–1.7). There was an increase in de novo mutation in children as the difference between paternal and maternal age increased. Conclusion: The study showed that a higher risk of CL ± P and de novo mutations in children is associated with increased parental age.

THE EFFECTS OF WORKING WHILE STUDYING ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CRIMINOLOGY STUDENTS IN CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY – BACOOR CITY CAMPUS

This study aims to determine the effects of working while studying to the academic performance of Criminology students in Cavite State University- Bacoor City Campus. Specifically, this study aimed to identify the effects of working while studying to the performance of criminology students in Cavite State University- Bacoor City Campus; determine challenges faced by the students in studying while working; determine the challenges faced by the students in studying while working: determine the coping mechanisms of the criminology students in studying while working. KEYWORDS: Fatherhood, Young Fathers, Early Fatherhood, Early Fathers

‘I want to be a different kind of father’: a qualitative analysis of adolescent fatherhood in Perú

Adolescent parents and their offspring experience worse health outcomes throughout the life course. While over 90% of adolescent births occur in low- and middle-income countries, data from many such countries are lacking, particularly from fathers. This qualitative study conducted in Lima, Peru characterises the experience of adolescent fathers and identifies potential intervention targets. Interviews with young fathers and the mothers of their children were coded and analysed using thematic analysis and a grounded theory approach. Factors impacting their experience included family support, changes in their relationship with their partner, gender dynamics, and financial pressure. The study identified family and couple conflict, gendered expectations, and the father’s personal development as potential intervention targets. Further research is needed to develop interventions that effectively engage adolescent fathers in low- and middle-income countries such as Peru, and support their transition to fatherhood.

Understanding and Addressing Male Postpartum Depression: Incidence, Causes, Diagnosis, and Management Strategies.

Pregnancy-related stress affects not only the woman but also her partner. The issue of postpartum depression in women is increasingly discussed, apart from its occurrence in men, which can develop up to 12 months after giving birth. Risk factors for depression in young fathers are numerous and include hormonal fluctuations, socioeconomic conditions, and co-occurrence of other diseases. Emerging depressive symptoms are nonspecific and can be missed even by experienced medical personnel. Currently, screening tests use questionnaires that do not consider male risk factors. Perhaps the development of more personalized diagnostic methods would enable early identification of men at risk and include preventive measures. The proposed treatment methods of postpartum depression, such as sertraline or cognitive-behavioral therapy, enable patients to recover and provide appropriate support. The disease can cause long-term consequences that negatively affect the development and functioning of the child's psyche. Behavioral disorders and emotional problems are observed in children whose fathers had postpartum depression. Moreover, partner relationships deteriorate and the father-child bond is impaired. Further research should focus on identifying risk factors in men from different social classes, considering environmental, personal, and ethnic characteristics, and on the effectiveness of postpartum depression treatment in men. This article aims to review the incidence, causes, diagnosis, and management of male postpartum depression.

Interventions for improving the health and socioeconomic well-being of young parents in Africa: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionEarly childbearing is highly prevalent in Africa. Despite the harmful consequences of early childbearing on young people, there is limited documentation of interventions that aim to improve the health and...

Strategies of Young Fathers to Quit Smoking in the Context of Indonesian Men

Strategies of Young Fathers to Quit Smoking in the Context of Indonesian Men

Dadzine: Zine making with young fathers as a participatory and DIY approach to research

Dadzine: Zine making with young fathers as a participatory and DIY approach to research

Accessing and experiencing higher education: young fathers in the UK

ABSTRACT Young fathers often view studying in HE positively, and perceive the benefits to include improving self-confidence, reconnecting with lost learning opportunities, building better career prospects, and becoming a better role model for their children. However, despite these perceived benefits, not all young fathers decide to study in HE. The financial burden of course fees are often prohibitive and some young fathers do not want to risk losing income or interrupting their existing careers. They face challenges such as knowing what HE opportunities are available and experience difficulties in navigating the application process. Others feel that they are not sufficiently qualified to study at a higher level. For those young fathers who do go on to study, they may also experience difficulties entering and sustaining their HE journey. Once enrolled, common challenges include the demands of childcare, financial pressures, and well-being concerns. To complicate matters, young fathers rarely seek out support from HE providers or other formal services. With the educational outcomes of young fathers being a cause for concern and due to the hidden nature of this group who are largely absent from statistics, this qualitative study draws attention to this under-researched area and guides future policy and practice.

The prevalence of adolescent fatherhood and its associated factors in East African countries

BackgroundIn developing nations, the phenomenon of adolescent fatherhood poses significant challenges, including increased risk of poverty, limited educational opportunities, and potential negative health outcomes for both the young fathers and their children. However, an overwhelming majority of research has concentrated on teenage motherhood. Adolescent fatherhood in poor nations has been the subject of little research. Few public health initiatives address adolescent fatherhood, in contrast to adolescent motherhood. Although there is currently more being done in industrialized nations to recognize adolescent fatherhood in clinical settings and the academic community. Undeveloped nations such as East Africa still have more problems that need to be resolved. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and factors contributing to adolescent fatherhood in East Africa.MethodsData from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), collected between 2011 and 2022 in 12 East African nations, were used in this analysis. For a weighted sample of 36,316 male adolescents aged 15–24 years, we examined variables, as well as the prevalence of adolescent fatherhood. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify candidate factors and significant explanatory variables associated with the outcome variable. The results are presented using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). P values of ≤ 0.2 and < 0.05 were used to investigate statistically significant factors in the univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, respectively.ResultsThe overall prevalence of adolescent fatherhood was 11.15% (95% CI = 10.83,11.48) in East Africa. Age at first sex 20–24 years (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.41,0.48), age–20–24 years old (AOR = 17.03,95% CI = 15.01,19.33), secondary/higher education (AOR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.49,0.67), poor wealth (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI = 2.05,2.52), middle wealth (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.51,1.90), employed (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI = 3.40,4.54), utilized modern contraceptives (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.69,0.81), and female household heads (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.39,0.48) were associated with adolescent fatherhood.ConclusionsAdolescent fatherhood is more prevalent, in East Africa. These findings highlight the complexity of adolescent fatherhood and suggest that multiple factors, including socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive health behaviors, play a role in determining the likelihood of becoming an adolescent father. Understanding these associations can inform targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing adolescent fatherhood rates and addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by young fathers in East Africa. Further research and interventions should focus on promoting education, economic opportunities, and access to modern contraceptives, while also addressing gender dynamics and social norms that contribute to adolescent fatherhood in the region.

Fatherhood timing and men’s midlife earnings: A within-family study of Finnish cohorts born in 1938−50

Fathers tend to achieve higher earnings than childless men, but there is limited evidence on the associations between fatherhood timing and men’s later earnings. Using a longitudinal census-based sample of Finnish men, including a subsample of brothers, we investigated fatherhood timing and men’s midlife earnings using both between- and within-family models. Earnings around age 50 were lower among adolescent and young fathers than for men who became fathers at ages 25–29 or later, but these associations became negligible after accounting for measured confounders and unobserved familial confounding. Overall, our findings highlight the important roles of selection into early childbearing and into childlessness. At the population level, early fatherhood was associated with clear negative distributional shifts in fathers’ midlife earnings. However, among all men, any influence of fatherhood timing on men’s midlife earnings distribution paled in comparison with that of childlessness.

Paternal aging impacts expression and epigenetic markers as early as the first embryonic tissue lineage differentiation

BackgroundAdvanced paternal age (APA) is associated with adverse outcomes to offspring health, including increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the methylome and transcriptome of the first two early embryonic tissue lineages, the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE), from human blastocysts in association with paternal age and disease risk. High quality human blastocysts were donated with patient consent from donor oocyte IVF cycles from either APA (≥ 50 years) or young fathers. Blastocysts were mechanically separated into ICM and TE lineage samples for both methylome and transcriptome analyses.ResultsSignificant differential methylation and transcription was observed concurrently in ICM and TE lineages of APA-derived blastocysts compared to those from young fathers. The methylome revealed significant enrichment for neuronal signaling pathways, as well as an association with neurodevelopmental disorders and imprinted genes, largely overlapping within both the ICM and TE lineages. Significant enrichment of neurodevelopmental signaling pathways was also observed for differentially expressed genes, but only in the ICM. In stark contrast, no significant signaling pathways or gene ontology terms were identified in the trophectoderm. Despite normal semen parameters in aged fathers, these significant molecular alterations can adversely contribute to downstream impacts on offspring health, in particular neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.ConclusionsAn increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders is well described in children conceived by aged fathers. Using blastocysts derived from donor oocyte IVF cycles to strategically control for maternal age, our data reveals evidence of methylation dysregulation in both tissue lineages, as well as transcription dysregulation in neurodevelopmental signaling pathways associated with APA fathers. This data also reveals that embryos derived from APA fathers do not appear to be compromised for initial implantation potential with no significant pathway signaling disruption in trophectoderm transcription. Collectively, our work provides insights into the complex molecular mechanisms that occur upon paternal aging during the first lineage differentiation in the preimplantation embryo. Early expression and epigenetic markers of APA-derived preimplantation embryos highlight the susceptibility of the future fetus to adverse health outcomes.

On the social functions of the state alimony fund

The article highlights the social functions of the alimony fund, the creation of which, in the author’s opinion, should optimize the problem of non-payment of parental alimony in a post-divorce situation. Such functions include collection, ensuring and informational. The essence of each of these functions is briefly analyzed. The problem of departmental affiliation of the alimony fund in connection with the certainty of its social functions is analyzed. The necessity of formation of values of involved parenthood (involved fatherhood) among young people, especially young fathers, as a prevention of evasion from alimony payment in a possible post-divorce situation is postulated.

Young dads' films give advice for better parenting

Online platform sees young fathers produce films to share their experiences and practical advice, while helping to reduce the stigma around young fatherhood

Examination of social worlds of risky drinking. Insights from Twitter data analysis.

Rich nature of social media data offers a great opportunity to examine social worlds of its users. Further to wide range of topics being discussed on social media, alcohol-related content is prevalent on social media and studies have found an association between this content and increased consumption of alcohol, cravings for alcohol and addiction. This study analyses social media data to examine social worlds of risky drinking in Victoria, Australia. This study conducted a scoping literature review and two online surveys, one with the general community and the other with health professionals, to determine key words to search for on social media sites. These keywords were used in a social media analytics tool called Talkwalker to generate quantitative and qualitative data on the social media users and their conversations. NVIVO was used for developing categories and themes in a sample of 172 posts. A total of 1,021 results were obtained from Twitter. The main demographic group found to be involved in conversations about drinking alcohol on Twitter was young fathers aged 25-34 years. The culture of alcohol consumption in Victoria for Twitter users is reflective of Australia's drinking culture within which risky drinking, and in particular binge drinking, is normalised.

Increasing father engagement among minoritised fathers through proactive service support and outreach: insights from a participatory pilot study

ABSTRACT Based on analyses of multi-perspective data generated from a small participatory and exploratory pilot study called Diverse Dads, this article considers how service engagement with minoritised fathers might be addressed in contexts of family and youth support. Semi-structured qualitative interviews and focus groups, complemented by a small survey, were conducted by beneficiaries and employees of a specialist charity supporting young fathers, with regional practitioners, service managers and minoritised fathers. These explored how and why services, which traditionally serve White, working-class communities, might be ‘hard(er) to access’ for minoritised fathers and how this might be addressed. In a context of considerable constraint for services, this article identifies how more accessible, inclusive support pathways and environments might be fostered. Key processes explored include how services can increase their accessibility, visibility, and appeal; become more proactive with outreach to fathers in diverse communities; and sustain father-inclusive support for all fathers.

Adolescent perspectives on peripartum mental health prevention and promotion from Kenya: Findings from a design thinking approach.

In Kenya, approximately one in five girls aged 15-19 years old are pregnant or already a mother. Adolescent girls and young women experience significant mental health vulnerabilities during the pregnancy and postpartum periods, leading to poor antenatal and postnatal care attendance and inferior infant and maternal health outcomes. Pregnant adolescents often experience stigma and disenfranchisement due to their pregnancy status and at the same time lack access to mental health support within health settings, schools, religious institutions, and communities. This paper presents the results of qualitative interviews embedded within the human-centered design (HCD) process used to adapt the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) program for Kenyan peripartum adolescents including young fathers. This qualitative study used two phases. First, a HAT advisory group participated in a series of four workshops to help identify and articulate mental health promotion needs and deepened the team's understanding of youth-centered thinking. Second, qualitative interviews were conducted with 39 pregnant and parenting adolescents to understand their perspectives on mental health prevention and promotion. Pregnant and parenting adolescents articulated different needs including poor support, stigma, and psychological disturbances. Parenting adolescents reported disturbed relationships, managing motherhood, poor health, and social empowerment. Participants highlighted sources of stress including economic challenges, fear of delivery, strained relationships, rejection, and stigma. Participants described psychological disturbances such as feeling stressed, worthless, withdrawn, and suicidal. Coping mechanisms reported by participants included engaging in domestic activities, hobbies, and social networking. Peers, family and spirituality were identified as important sources of support, as well as school integration, livelihoods, support groups and mentorships. Findings from this study can be used to strengthen and adapt HAT program, policy and practice for mental health prevention and promotion for pregnant and parenting adolescents.

Mother-father and parent-grandmother coparenting conflict and caregiver involvement in adolescent parent families

Family systems theory recognizes the complex interconnected subsystems within families, yet little is known about how multigenerational coparenting affects coparenting and caregiving outcomes within adolescent parent families. The current study estimated auto-regressive cross-lag models to evaluate the interrelation between mother-father and parent-grandparent coparenting subsystems and caregiver involvement using reports of coparenting conflict and caregiver involvement from 280 adolescent parents ( Mage = 17.02, SD = 1.42; 83.6% Latine; 69.6% women) at two time-points, collected nine-months apart. Results showed stability in coparenting conflict and caregiver involvement among mother-father and parent-grandparent dyads and one intergenerational cross-lag effect. Grandmother involvement at time 1 (T1) was negatively linked to parent-grandparent coparenting conflict at time 2 (T2). Gender differences also emerged, such that (1) father’s report of mother involvement at T1 was positively associated with mother-father coparenting conflict at T2; (2) father’s report of mother involvement at T1 was negatively associated with father’s report of grandmother involvement at T2; and (3) father’s report of parent-grandparent coparenting conflict at T1 was negatively associated with father’s report of mother involvement at T2. Findings underscore connections between intergenerational coparenting subsystems and suggest gender differences in sensitivity, malleability, and the influence of the coparenting dyad on coparenting conflict and caregiver involvement. Further research on adolescent coparenting and caregiving dynamics across coparenting subsystems is needed to strengthen interventions aimed at serving young mothers and fathers.

Mind-mindedness and styles of interaction of young fathers with their infants at three months: a pilot study

BackgroundFatherhood at a young age can be characterized by a multiproblematic background with several risk factors that can negatively affect father-child relationships, the father’s well-being and child’s social-emotional development.MethodsThis pilot study evaluated paternal interaction styles and mentalization in a sample of 22 young fathers and their 3-month-old infants and compared these variables with those of 22 adolescent and young mothers (the fathers’ partners). Parent-infant interaction were codified with Care-Index to evaluate styles of interaction and with Mind-Mindedness system to evaluate mentalization.ResultsThe results showed that young fathers had high scores in controlling behaviors and low scores in sensitivity, placing them in a risk range. The young father’s interaction profile did not differ from the young mother’s interaction profile. Infants had high scores in passive behaviors and low scores in cooperative behaviors, placing them in a high-risk range. Moreover, young fathers had more nonattuned mind-related comments than their partners.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that low responsiveness and low mind-mindedness characterize the quality of adolescent and young father-infant interactions, highlighting the value of providing early intervention to support the father–child relationship, enhancing the father’s sensitivity and his ability to keep the infant in mind.

Access to Higher Education and Adolescent Fertility in Chile.

This study investigates gender differences in the association between adolescent fertility and the likelihood of initiating higher education among young Chilean men and women. We adopt an entropy balancing strategy to estimate the association between adolescent fertility and the likelihood of starting higher education while accounting for potential selection into early childbearing due to socioeconomic status and prior academic achievement. We use data from official national registers that cover a cohort of Chilean students who attended publicly funded schools and who successfully completed secondary schooling between 2011 and 2022. Our results indicate that adolescent mothers are 15 percentage points less likely to initiate higher education than their peers who did not give birth during adolescence. In comparison, teenage fathers are 20 percentage points less likely to do so than their childless counterparts. Our findings stand in contrast to previously identified disadvantage patterns for secondary school completion, whereby adolescent fertility more significantly hinders schooling completion for women relative to men. We contend that this reversal may be related to traditional gender-role expectations in Chile, which encourage young fathers to act as providers and, therefore, may be prevented from continuing on their education path into tertiary studies.

Roots of change: intergenerational cycle of adolescent fatherhood in rural Jharkhand and Odisha

Background: Numerous studies have documented an intergenerational cycle of adolescent motherhood, wherein daughters of adolescent mothers are more likely to follow suit. This pattern may result from biological predisposition, heritable attitudes, or the socioeconomic environment influenced by early childbirth. Surprisingly, the same cycle among young fathers remains unexplored in India. This research paper seeks to enrich the existing body of knowledge by shedding light on the intergenerational cycle of adolescent fatherhood in the rural Jharkhand and Odisha, possibly as a first of its kind study. Methods: A case control study was conducted between June 2023 to August 2023 amongst adolescent males residing in rural areas of Jharkhand and Odisha states with sample size of 228 using multi-stage sampling technique. Results: The study did not reveal statistically significant association between adolescent fathers of this generation and adolescent fathers or adolescent mothers of previous generation, unlike in the case of adolescent mothers. Conclusions: To address adolescent reproductive sexual Health challenges in rural Jharkhand and Odisha effectively, it is imperative to emphasize targeted educational campaigns with cultural sensitivity, actively involve adolescent males and maintain a steadfast long-term commitment to fostering cultural transformation.