Grappling with tradition: the experiences of cisgender, heterosexual mothers and fathers in elective co-parenting arrangements

Elective co-parenting families, meaning two (or more parents) who are not in a romantic relationship having a child together, are becoming more common amongst cisgender, heterosexual parents. The study of elective co-parenting families offers researchers a unique opportunity to decouple co-parenting relationships from romantic relationships, but little research to date has explored their experiences. This study explored two research questions: why do individuals decide to enter into elective co-parenting arrangements? And how do they manage their co-parenting arrangement and their relationship with their co-parent? Interview data from 10 elective co-parents (5 mothers and 5 fathers) were analyzed according to the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Sociological theorisations of family practices, family display and family thinking were utilized to make sense of the data. The results centred around two organizing themes ('Reproducing the traditional family' and 'Modernising the traditional family'), and participants experienced a tension between these two ideas. Participants aimed to manage their co-parenting relationship with shared values and friendship, but defining their relationship was complex and gendered parenting patterns were ubiquitous. Findings add nuance to theorisations of family life and demonstrate that traditional parenthood ideologies remain pervasive, as parents aim to imagine and pursue parenthood on their own terms.

"Crying on the Bus": First Time Fathers' Experiences of Distress on Their Return to Work

There is increasing research interest in the experiences of new fathers taking paternity leave, but less insight into men's experiences of returning to work after the birth of their first baby. For many men in the UK context, this could take place immediately after the birth or after one or two weeks of paternity leave. This paper utilizes data from a UK-based study whilst also drawing on international literature and policy contexts. A constructivist grounded theory method was adopted to generate theory from the data gathered. Twelve new fathers shared their experiences in this study by participating in audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews. This paper focuses on fathers' experiences of negotiating the workplace as part of an overall theoretical framework related to broader transitions to fatherhood and sheds light on the distress, guilt and psychological challenges that the participants experienced when they initially returned to work. Whether fathers did or did not explicitly describe distress at this time, they all described a change in their worker identity, which for some participants led to uncertainty in the workplace. Men returning to work at this time in the postnatal period are vulnerable to experiencing distress. Flexibility and support in the workplace could be protective of their mental health. Finally, policy and practice developments are offered to support men's transitions to fatherhood in the workplace context.

Paternal Leave Entitlement and Workplace Culture: A Key Challenge to Paternal Mental Health

Paternal mental health continues to be a health concern in the UK. Paternal leave entitlement and workplace cultures have failed to support fathers in navigating the complexity of fatherhood, which has an impact on fathers' wellbeing. Interviewing twenty fathers in the York area, this study seeks to explore the impact of parental leave entitlements and workplace cultures on fathers' mental health. The findings demonstrate that the influence of gendered norms and hegemonic masculinity perceptions are ingrained in the current leave entitlement and workplace cultures. While fathers are entitled to take leave, the leave is significantly insufficient to allow them to forge a meaningful bond with a newborn or adapt to the change in routine brought about by the birth of a baby. Furthermore, workplace cultures fail to recognise the responsibilities that come with fatherhood and provide insufficient support for fathers. The COVID-19 lockdown presented fathers with a unique opportunity to be available and take on more family responsibilities. Fathers felt they did not have to navigate gendered and hegemonic perceptions to spend more time with the family. This paper challenges structural and cultural barriers that prevent fathers from taking leave and impacting negatively on fathers' mental health. The paper suggests a review of the current paternal leave entitlement and cultural change in the workplace.

"Opening up a well of emotions": A qualitative study of men's emotional experiences in the transition to fatherhood

AIM

To explore the emotional changes and reactions men experience in their transition to fatherhood.

DESIGN

This study used a qualitative design.

METHODS

Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 13 Norwegian fathers.

RESULTS

Through thematic analysis, three main themes were developed: (1) from self-focus to family perspective; (2) emotional vulnerability; and (3) from insecurity to self-assurance. The themes describe fathers' emotional process during the child's first year of life, ranging from positive feelings like affection and mastery, to challenging feelings like exclusion, jealousy and exhaustion. Many fathers describe taboos and shame over their own emotional reactions, although these can be considered a natural part of the postnatal period.

"The Feeling Is What Counts": Fathers' Perspectives on Child Risk and Protection within the Ultra-Orthodox Context

Context is known to have substantial influence on issues pertaining to child development. Nevertheless, the field of child well-being, risk, and protection is rooted in Western modernized research and experience, often overlooking contextual dissimilarity. The present study aimed to explore risk and protection for children in a distinct context: the Ultra-Orthodox community, which is an insular and religiously close-knit society. Fifteen in-depth interviews with Ultra-Orthodox fathers dealing with issues of child risk and protection were conducted and thematically analyzed. Analysis of the findings revealed two major areas that fathers viewed as posing potential risk for children: poverty and a lack of paternal presence. In both cases, the fathers emphasized that appropriate mediation of these circumstances can diffuse their potential harm. The discussion outlines the different ways fathers proposed mediating potential risk situations, highlighting distinct religion-related methods. It then considers specific, context-informed ramifications and recommendations and notes limitations and directions for future study.

"I have to be a man for my son": The narrative uses of fatherhood in prison

Research on incarcerated fathers tends to accentuate the harmful familial consequences of parental incarceration and discuss how having children might prompt incarcerated fathers to desist from crime. Less attention has focused on how narratives of fatherhood shape the day-to-day dynamics of incarceration. Drawing on 93 qualitative interviews with incarcerated fathers in Western Canada, we focus specifically on our participants' parenting narratives. Such narratives are significant interventions in the world, allowing incarcerated fathers to frame their identities in particular ways while simultaneously shaping personal behaviour. Our research, 1. Identifies important fatherhood narratives provided by our participants, and 2. Details how such narratives operate in prison, allowing our participants to advance personal agendas that are themselves related to the dynamics of incarceration. In doing so, we provide insights into incarcerated fathers' situations and advance criminological efforts to appreciate how different actors entangled in the criminal justice system conceive, manage, and narrate their situation.

The Impact of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors on Fatherhood in Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: A Mixed-Method Study

INTRODUCTION

Multiple studies have demonstrated that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) exert a significant extent of control over chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), as evidenced by studies such as the population-based Swedish CML registry, which found that patients reaching age 70 had a relative survival rate close to one when compared to the general population. Consequently, new perspectives on the safety of treatments have emerged, particularly in the context of their impact on fatherhood in men. According to the authors, this is the first study to examine the effect of TKIs on fatherhood in CML patients.  Methods: A single-center, mixed-design study (retrospective data review and phone interviews) was conducted with CML male patients in the chronic or accelerated phase, evaluating the effect of imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib on their fatherhood, irrespective of whether they were administered as a first, second, or third line of treatment.

RESULTS

The study included interviews with 150 patients. Included were 27 patients. The average age was approximately 44.5 years. One hundred percent of the patients were in the chronic phase. The median age at first conception following TKI therapy was 36, and the median duration of TKI therapy was approximately seven years. The total number of offspring was 49; 98% were born at term and had a normal birth weight. No reports of stillbirths, fetal deaths, or congenital malformations were made. All the offspring grew and developed normally. No CML-related cancers were reported in any of the newborns.

CONCLUSION

Around 98% of male CML patients receiving imatinib, dasatinib, or nilotinib did not experience a negative impact on their fatherhood or the health of their children. However, improved education for patients beginning treatment with TKIs addresses the potential psychological worry of having an unfavorable effect on their fertility or offspring, which may increase medication adherence.

Struggling with overweight or obesity in children - fathers' perceptions and experiences of contributing factors, role and responsibility

PURPOSE

The family environment is crucial in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity; however, there is a lack of knowledge concerning paternal perceptions and experiences in childhood weight management. The aim of this study was to explore (i) perceptions of contributing factors to childhood overweight and obesity among fathers of children with overweight or obesity and (ii) the fathers' experiences of their parental role caring for a child with overweight or obesity.

METHOD

A qualitative content analysis was conducted of data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight Norwegian fathers of ten children and adolescents with overweight or obesity.

RESULTS

The analysis identified one overall theme; Feeling uncertain and struggling to understand their own responsibility for the child's overweight or obesity, which consists of two themes; 1)Trying hard to figure out the child's obesity as a complex interaction of factors and 2)Family functioning-negotiating roles and responsibility in parenthood.

CONCLUSION

Fathers must be met with understanding about their uncertainty and their struggle to understand their individual responsibility for their child's weight excess. It can be necessary to address the significance of family functioning, collaboration, responsibility within the familiy in addition to structural responsibility in clinical dialogues and counselling in order to help with weight management.

"At Least Somebody Sees You as a Hero": Fatherhood Stress and Well-Being in Ghana

Fathers' mental health and behaviors influence child development and partner well-being, yet paternal stress and well-being are frequently overlooked; especially in non-Western settings. The aim of this mixed-methods study was to quantitatively assess the impact of parenting stress on fathers' overall well-being in Ghana, West Africa; while qualitatively delving into their lived experiences as fathers. We used a qual/quant mixed-methods approach in this study. The study was conducted in three distinct locations in Ghana (a) Ada, a rural community on the Southeastern coast; (b) Kumasi, an urban setting in upper Southern Ghana; and (c) Sunyani, a peri-urban setting in West-central Ghana. Paternal stress was measured with the Aggravation in Parenting Scale (APS) and well-being was assessed using the Secure Flourishing Index (SFI). Textual data from focus group interviews were sorted using inductive coding and aggregated into overarching themes. Thirty-eight Ghanaian fathers ages 21 to 74 years participated in the study, average age 43 (±12.12 SD), median 39.5. Correlation analyses showed a strong, negative association between paternal stress and well-being (R = -0.63; p < .0001), which was supported in linear regression models (β = -1.04; 95% CI: -1.62, -0.45; p<.0001). Emergent themes of fatherhood stress included financial (employment, food, education, and health care), social (norms and expectations), and psychological (mental work, discipline, relationships, and coping strategies) stressors. A fourth overarching theme of pride and joy in parenting permeated the interviews. Ghanaian fathers with higher parenting stress experience lower overall well-being. Identified stressors could guide interventions that bolster the well-being of fathers and their families.

Examining the Relationship between Paternal Mental Health and Informal Support Networks: Reflections on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Paternal mental health remains an under-researched area in the UK. Consequently, father-focused formal and informal support provisions fail to address the complex emotional and psychological wellbeing needs of fathers. Drawing on data from twenty semi-structured interviews with fathers in the York area, this study seeks to better understand how access to and participation in informal support networks is influenced by gendered perceptions and the impact hegemonic perceptions of masculinity have on fathers' access to support prior and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that fathers internalise stereotypical masculine tropes, such as stoicism, which prevent them from actively seeking support. While fathers value informal support network, they generally struggle to engage in mental health talks. The COVID-19 lockdown exacerbated fathers' struggles to access informal support or prioritise their mental health. Fathers felt the pandemic presented a unique challenge that only people that became parents at the time understood. This meant that fathers could not rely on their parents or other parents who did not have similar experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims at challenging structural and cultural barriers that inhibit fathers' participation in informal support networks, and to promote more meaningful, supportive engagement with peer groups.

Redefining Fatherhood in a Migratory Context: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of African First-time Fathers in Belgium

Many African fathers face practices in their host countries that conflict with the conceptions of fatherhood in their countries of origin. They deal with negative stereotypes, including notions of paternal irresponsibility when it comes to embracing child care. This article looks at how exposure to the Belgian norms of fatherhood may redefine the fatherhood practices of African first-time fathers residing in Belgium. Drawing on a qualitative narrative approach, this article explores the perceptions and experiences of African migrant fathers in Belgium and examines how they adapt to a different fathering culture. The findings show that while African first-time fathers acknowledged their primary role as providers, they also embraced new practices that transgress defined gender lines in African culture. In the absence of a larger family support network, respondents face the responsibility of providing prenatal and postnatal support and sharing in child care responsibilities. Findings also shed light on how African fathers with European partners engage in shared decision-making and negotiate on core African values such as male circumcision.

First-time fathers show longitudinal gray matter cortical volume reductions: evidence from two international samples

Emerging evidence points to the transition to parenthood as a critical window for adult neural plasticity. Studying fathers offers a unique opportunity to explore how parenting experience can shape the human brain when pregnancy is not directly experienced. Yet very few studies have examined the neuroanatomic adaptations of men transitioning into fatherhood. The present study reports on an international collaboration between two laboratories, one in Spain and the other in California (United States), that have prospectively collected structural neuroimaging data in 20 expectant fathers before and after the birth of their first child. The Spanish sample also included a control group of 17 childless men. We tested whether the transition into fatherhood entailed anatomical changes in brain cortical volume, thickness, and area, and subcortical volumes. We found overlapping trends of cortical volume reductions within the default mode network and visual networks and preservation of subcortical structures across both samples of first-time fathers, which persisted after controlling for fathers' and children's age at the postnatal scan. This study provides convergent evidence for cortical structural changes in fathers, supporting the possibility that the transition to fatherhood may represent a meaningful window of experience-induced structural neuroplasticity in males.

Employment and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers: An evaluation of the Fathers Advancing Community Together program

Prior research underscores the importance of fathers' involvement in their children's lives. However, there is mixed evidence about the degree to which fatherhood programs improve economic stability and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers. We attempted to address some of these gaps in the literature by evaluating the Fathers Advancing Community Together (FACT) program. FACT was implemented by Rubicon Programs, a community-based nonprofit organization in the Bay Area, California known for providing services to help move people out of poverty. The program provided parents economic stability, responsible parenting, and healthy relationship workshops, as well as support services and intensive case management. We relied on data from the Department of Child Support Services to assess whether FACT increased the likelihood of employment, child support modifications, and child support payments among noncustodial fathers during a 6-month post-enrollment period. Using 3:1 coarsened exact matching procedures, the total sample resulted in 744 fathers (186 in the intervention group and 558 in the comparison group). Results from logistic regression models indicate that FACT participants were more likely to be employed and more likely to receive a child support modification during the post-enrollment period than their comparison counterparts, though we found no significant relationship between FACT participation and whether fathers made a child support payment.

Introduction to special section: Federally funded, community-based healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood program impact studies

The focus of this special section is impact studies that were conducted as part of the Administration for Children and Families' Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood initiative. This initiative has led to more than 2 million people receiving relationship education and fatherhood programs across the United States over the last two decades. Community organizations develop these programs, select their curricula and content, and run these programs in their local communities. Many programs funded in the 2015-2020 cohort of grantees included randomized controlled trials of program effectiveness; some of these studies are presented in this issue, with the goal of marrying the field of program evaluation and family science.

Listening to the Fathers of Twins-Being Sensitive to Fathers' Needs in Maternity and Child Healthcare

Objective: In a multiple-birth family, parenthood means being a parent to more than one child of the same age. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of fathers of twins in order to contribute to the understanding of twin fatherhood and the needs for support. This article also provides some concrete guidance for midwives and nurses. Design: This qualitative research study was guided by the hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Setting: Notification of the study was published on the Multiple Births Association website for the fathers of twins. The data comprised fathers' (n = 6) diaries and/or notes and in-depth interviews. Results: The following themes describe the phenomenon of being a father of twins: "Fatherhood of twins grows gradually", "Strengthening of twin fatherhood by being present and involved", "Father develops his relationship with each and both of the twins", and "Making space for multiple fatherhood". This article concentrates on the latter two themes. Conclusions: Fatherhood/parenthood is a very special time in a person's life and has many effects on a child's health and wellbeing and his/her life. Fathers of twins want to create a close bond with them by being actively present and involved in the children's daily life, also with a view to the future. The staff of the hospital and maternity and child health clinic play a vital role in implementing services meant for multiple-birth families in the holistic understanding of and support for fathers/parents during the transition to parenthood and after the children's birth. Implications for practice: Midwives and nurses are vital in providing support for, sharing knowledge with, and giving advice to fathers and different kinds of families. Multiprofessional cooperation that links evidence-based knowledge, theory, and practice, ensuring that the voices of both parents are heard and respected, is key to improving the care for different kinds of families and families with special needs.

Pathways to fatherhood: clinical experiences with assisted reproductive technology in single and coupled intended fathers

Objective

To explore the cycle characteristics and outcomes of single and coupled intended fathers (SCIFs) using assisted reproductive technology.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Multicenter, fertility practices from 2016 to 2020.

Patients

In this study, cycles among SCIFs with access to fertility coverage from 2016 to 2020 were included.

Interventions

None.

Main Outcome Measures

Our primary outcome was live birth rate. The secondary outcomes included the number of embryos transferred, miscarriage rate, and incidence of multifetal birth.

Results

Five single and 39 coupled intended fathers completed an in vitro fertilization cycle with a majority using egg donation and an agency-based gestational carrier (69.7%, 83/119). In most couples, both partners wanted to serve as the sperm source (64.4%, 29/45). The vast majority (97.7%, 43/44) also used preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. Among the embryo transfer (ET) cycles (n = 27), most consisted of a single euploid ET (74.07%, 20/27), whereas the remaining consisted of a double euploid ET (25.92%, 7/27). The SCIFs had high rates of success, with a live birth rate of 85.19% (23/27). A mean of 1.26 ± 0.44 embryos were transferred, with a majority resulting in singleton birth (70.37%, 19/27).

Conclusions

Our study of SCIFs using assisted reproductive technology in the United States demonstrates that this population shares similar preferences for sperm source and the use of preimplantation genetic testing. Clinical outcomes suggest that this population is successful at achieving a live birth when using egg donation and a gestational carrier.

Fathers' perspectives and assessment of breastfeeding at a private maternity center in the City of Buenos Aires. A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Introduction. The evidence about the effectiveness of fathers' or partners' involvement in breastfeeding interventions to promote initiation, duration, and exclusiveness rates has increased in recent years.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the perspectives and assessments of breastfeeding among partners of breastfeeding women and develop information to create adequate interventions that favor the inclusion of fathers in care spaces and in the support of breastfeeding.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Qualitative study with a grounded theory design. Four focus groups were held with fathers. Data were processed defining free flow analysis units, coded in 2 levels, an open code, with emerging categories, and such categories grouped into 5 main topics.

RESULTS

A total of 16 fathers participated. Five main topics were identified: fathers' knowledge about breastfeeding, feelings towards breastfeeding, partner's involvement in breastfeeding, development of the concept of fatherhood, breastfeeding in society. Breastfeeding was positively assessed. Although breastfeeding support was considered a shared family responsibility, there were not enough co-participation actions identified. Participants expressed their desire to play a more involved fatherhood role; however, they stated that these transformations are not supported at workplaces.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence showed a positive assessment of breastfeeding, adequate knowledge, and concern about difficulties. Breastfeeding support was considered a shared responsibility, but not enough specific coparticipation actions were mentioned.

Parenting intentions of young sexual minority men living with HIV in Mexico City, Mexico

Young sexual minority men are disproportionately affected by HIV in Mexico. Little is known about their thoughts about childbearing, an issue complicated by sexual identity and HIV serostatus. We conducted 16 in-depth qualitative interviews to explore the parenting desires of young sexual minority men living with HIV in Mexico City. Domains of the questionnaire included (1) parenting desires, (2) preferences about different methods (e.g. adoption, in-vitro fertilisation), and (3) perceived barriers to becoming a father. A modified grounded theory approach was used for qualitative analysis. Participants ranged in age from 17 to 21 years and had been living with HIV for an average of 15 months. Most expressed the desire to have a child in the future but were uninformed as to their options for doing so. Participants largely preferred adoption, citing the perceived risk of HIV transmission as a deterrent to using assisted reproductive technologies. Some participants expressed the desire to have a child that was genetically their own, but shared doubts as to the feasibility. The majority of participants stated that the topic of childbearing had never come up during the course of their HIV care.

The Role of Paternal Involvement on Behavioral Sensitive Responses and Neurobiological Activations in Fathers: A Systematic Review

As fathering research has flourished, a growing body of studies has focused on behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms, respectively associated with caregiving sensitivity and responsiveness to infant stimuli. However, the association between these aspects and the key concept of paternal involvement in childcare (i.e., contribution in infant care in terms of time, availability, and responsibility) has been poorly investigated. The current work aims to systematically review the role of involvement in childcare on both neural activations and sensitive behaviors in fathers by examining (a) how paternal involvement has been measured and (b) whether paternal involvement has been associated with neurobiological activation and behavioral sensitive responses. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed quantitative studies, concerning fathers responding to infant stimuli at neurobiological or behavioral level, and including a quantitative measurement of paternal involvement in childcare. A quality rating for each study has been performed based on the measurements adopted to assess paternal involvement. Of 2,529 articles, 27 studies were included. According to our quality rating, 10 out of 27 studies included fairly good-standard measures for measuring paternal involvement, whereas 17 studies used good-standard measures. In addition, 11 studies provided details of paternal involvement in the context of neurobiological responses to infant stimuli, whereas 16 addressed paternal sensitive behaviors. Overall, only 8 studies reported relevant findings about the relationship between paternal involvement and neurobiological responses or sensitive behaviors in fathers. The present study is the first systematically evaluating the scope of paternal involvement in the field of Paternal Brain and fathers' sensitive responsiveness research. When high-standard measures are used, paternal involvement seems to play a significant role in modulating both the hormonal and the neural pathways associated with paternal behaviors. Remarkably, the role of paternal engagement may underpin an adaptive nurturance that is not dependent on pregnancy and childbirth but on caregiving experience. A promising positive link between paternal involvement and behavioral sensitivity may be expected in further studies, which will need to corroborate our conclusion by adopting detailed and appropriate measures assessing paternal involvement. As a future line of research, the inclusion of gay fathers may be beneficial for the field.

Neurobiological Correlates of Fatherhood During the Postpartum Period: A Scoping Review

During the postpartum period, the paternal brain suffers extensive and complex neurobiological alterations, through the experience of father-infant interactions. Although the impact of such experience in the mother has been increasingly studied over the past years, less is known about the neurobiological correlates of fatherhood-that is, the alterations in the brain and other physiological systems associated with the experience of fatherhood. With the present study, we aimed to perform a scoping review of the available literature on the genetic, neuroendocrine, and brain correlates of fatherhood and identify the main gaps in the current knowledge. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched for eligible studies on paternal neuroplasticity during the postpartum period, over the past 15 years. Reference lists of relevant key studies and reviews were also hand-searched. The research team independently screened the identified studies based on the established inclusion criteria. Extracted data were analyzed using tables and descriptive synthesis. Among the 29 studies that met our inclusion criteria, the vast majority pertained to neuroendocrine correlates of fatherhood (n = 19), followed by brain activity or connectivity (n = 7), association studies of candidate genes (n = 2), and brain structure correlates (n = 1). Collectively, studies published during the past 15 years suggest the existence of significant endocrine (testosterone, oxytocin, prolactin, and cortisol levels) and neurofunctional alterations (changed activity in several brain networks related to empathy and approach motivation, emotional processing and mentalizing, emotion regulation, dorsal attention, and default mode networks) as a result of fatherhood, as well as preliminary evidence of genetic variability accounting for individual differences during the postpartum period in fathers. No studies were so far published evaluating epigenetic mechanisms associated with the paternal brain, something that was also the focus of the current review. We highlight the need for further research that examines neuroplasticity during the experience of fatherhood and that considers both the interplay between hormones and simultaneous assessment of the different biomarkers (e.g., associations between hormones and neural activity); data collection protocols and assessment times should also be refined.

Azhe'é Bidziil (Strong Fathers): Study Protocol for the Pilot Evaluation of an American Indian Fatherhood Program to Improve the Health and Wellbeing of Diné (Navajo) Fathers

INTRODUCTION

Considering the critical role that American Indian and Alaska Native (Native) men play in family and child health, there is an urgent need to collaborate with Native communities in developing interventions and policies to improve Native men's health status. This study aims to address a significant gap in research by designing and implementing a culturally grounded health promotion program to increase economic stability, promote positive parenting, and build healthy relationships among Native fathers. The Azhe'é Bidziil ("Strong Fathers") study protocol, developed in response to community advisory board feedback, illustrates a community-engaged approach to developing and implementing a fatherhood program in two Diné (Navajo) communities.

METHODS/ANALYSIS

Azhe'é Bidziil was adapted from three evidence-based interventions developed in collaboration with Native communities. Intervention lessons were iteratively reviewed by a tribal working group to ensure that the content is culturally appropriate and relevant. A pre-post study will assess feasibility, acceptability, and satisfaction with the Azhe'é Bidziil intervention, as well as short-term impacts on positive parenting, economic stability, and healthy relationship outcomes. The intervention is composed of 12 weekly group sessions conducted with fathers (n = 750) that focus on developing knowledge and skills for positive father involvement, economic stability, and healthy relationships. Lesson content includes: honoring our roles as fathers, building healthy relationships, understanding the impact of historical trauma, goal-setting, and budgeting basics. Each of the 12 group lessons, consisting of 8-12 participants per group, last approximately 2 h. Eligible fathers or father figures are age ≥18 years, live within 50 miles of the participating Diné communities, and must be caregivers of at least one child ≤ 24 years. The outcomes for this study are acceptability, feasibility, and satisfaction with the intervention, as well as father involvement, quality of (co-) parenting communication, healthy relationships, fathers' engagement and communication with their children, protective factors (e.g., cultural connectedness and educational/career aspirations), and economic empowerment and stability. Participants will complete an outcome assessment at pre- and post-intervention (12 weeks later).

DISCUSSION

This study protocol presents one of the few evaluations of a fatherhood intervention to increase economic stability, promote positive parenting, and build healthy relationships among Native fathers in rural tribal communities. Such a study is sorely needed to address the health disparities perpetuated by social and Indigenous determinants of health that Native men experience today. If proven efficacious, this pre- post-study will inform a large scale randomized controlled trial to evaluate intervention impact, and if proven efficacious may be disseminated widely in tribal nations. Study findings may also deepen our understanding of peer mentoring, Native men's health status, involvement with their children, co-parenting relationships, family relationships, cultural connectedness, and economic status. The data collected may also inform strategies to ensure acceptability, feasibility, and satisfaction of an intervention designed specifically for Native fathers.

Differential Trajectories of Fathers' Postpartum Depressed Mood: A Latent Class Growth Analysis Approach

Parental psychological well-being is essential to the wellness of the family. However, longitudinal investigations into fathers’ postpartum depressed mood are limited. This study aimed to identify the typologies of depressed mood trajectories over the first year postpartum among Taiwanese fathers and to examine the factors associated with such typologies. We retrieved data from a nationwide longitudinal study on child development and care in Taiwan. A total of 396 fathers, who completed at least one of the three interviews when their children were 3, 6, and 12 months old between 2016 and 2017, were included in this analysis. Conditional latent class growth analysis was conducted to identify the classifications of the fathers’ depressed mood trajectories in the first year postpartum and to estimate the effects of covariates on individuals’ membership of a trajectory class. Three classes of depressed mood trajectories were identified. The high increasing group consisted of 11% of the participants; the moderate increasing and the low decreasing groups consisted of 28% and 61% of the participants, respectively. Financial stress was associated with the fathers’ likelihood of being in the high increasing group compared with their likelihood of being in the low decreasing group (OR = 2.28, CI = 1.16–4.47). The result may be related to the difference in gender roles and social expectations.

Fatherhood and wage inequality in Britain, Finland, and Germany

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates whether and how fatherhood shapes the wage distribution in Britain, Finland, and Germany.

BACKGROUND

Existing research debates whether fatherhood is associated with greater wages. However, it remains unclear whether the association between fatherhood and wages varies along the wage distribution as well as institutional contexts. To explore this, we compare three countries that differ in their wage bargaining institutions and family policies.

METHOD

We use unconditional quantile regression on longitudinal data from the 1995 to 2016 waves of the Finnish Linked Employer Employee data, German Socio-Economic Panel, and UK Longitudinal Household Study. To control for selection into fatherhood, we combine quantile regressions with fixed effects techniques.

RESULTS

Results show little evidence of substantial fatherhood wage effects along men's wage distribution. In all countries, fathers' higher wages at the median and top of the wage distribution are mostly accounted for by selection, but fatherhood shifts the bottom part of the distribution to the left particularly in the UK.

CONCLUSIONS

The extent to which having a child affects men's wages across the wage distribution is similar across three diverse policy contexts. Yet, differences across the wage distribution are larger in the UK. We argue this may be linked to its higher level of inequality typical of liberal labour markets.

Stronger Mentalizing Network Connectivity in Expectant Fathers Predicts Postpartum Father-Infant Bonding and Parenting Behavior

Fathers play a critical role in parenting and in shaping child outcomes. However, the neurobiological underpinnings of successful adjustment to fatherhood have not been well-specified. Empathy and mentalizing abilities may characterize more effective fathering. These abilities may be supported by the functional connectivity (FC) of brain regions associated with social cognition and executive control. We used a seed-region-based approach to assess resting-state FC (rsFC) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in 40 expectant fathers. We tested associations between mPFC whole-brain rsFC and fathers' self-report measures of empathy during pregnancy, as well as their ratings of father-infant bonding and fathering behaviors at six months postpartum. Stronger prenatal rsFC between the mPFC and precuneus, frontal pole, planum polare, and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was negatively associated with self-reported empathic concern and perspective-taking, whereas mPFC rsFC with the lateral occipital cortex (LOC) was positively associated with self-reported perspective-taking. Additionally, stronger prenatal connectivity between the mPFC rsFC and the superior parietal lobule and LOC regions predicted father reports of postpartum bonding with infants, and stronger prenatal mPFC rsFC with the LOC predicted more effective postpartum parenting. This study is the first to measure rsFC in expectant fathers as a predictor of subsequent adjustment to fathering.