Parenting Needs of Urban, African American Fathers

Topics searched by first-time Indonesian fathers during pregnancy journey: An exploratory study

This study explores the topics searched by first-time Indonesian fathers during the pregnancy journey. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a representative sample of first-time expectant fathers in Indonesia. Thematic analysis was employed to identify common themes and patterns in fathers' search topics and reasons behind the searches. The results reveal that fathers predominantly focus on finding topics related to their partners' well-being with particular emphasis on health-related topics. Interestingly, the study highlights a lower engagement with topics related to cultural practices, traditions, and religion among first-time Indonesian fathers. Additionally, understanding the situation and finding the solutions to a problem is one of the main popular reasons for first-time fathers to seek a particular topic related to pregnancy. This study provides valuable insights into the topics searched and motivations of first-time Indonesian fathers during the pregnancy journey which have similarities and differences to fathers' practices in developed countries. The findings underscore the necessity for tailored intervention programs to promote paternal involvement during this transformative period which addresses the unique information needs of Indonesian fathers.

Perceptions of Urban Father Support in Early Parenthood: A Critical Incident Analysis

Becoming a father is a common transitional event, however men are often not adequately prepared for their fathering role. The United States (U.S.) health care system does little to support fathers' parenting needs during the postnatal and infancy period. Moreover, father's support needs are often perceived as secondary to the mother's needs in the maternal-child system. It is important that fathers' social support needs be investigated in the first year of his newborn's life, especially in diverse populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the social support needs of urban, African American fathers during early parenthood. Using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT), a descriptive, qualitative design was used to interview 35 fathers about their social support at 2-12 months after the birth of their baby. Using a semi-structured interview guide, fathers were asked to describe helpful and unhelpful events they experienced since the birth of their baby. Fathers reported 36 helpful events and 32 unhelpful events for an overall total of 68 events. Data was analyzed using House's Social Support Theory and the four social support categories: instrumental, informational, emotional, and appraisal. Using the CIT, main categories and subcategories were developed. The helpful categories included: 1) Helping father with infant care, 2) Providing information on infant care, 3) Receiving HCP assistance, 4) Managing relationships, and 5) Becoming a father. The unhelpful categories included: 1) Receiving unhelpful assistance, 2) Receiving unreliable or unwanted assistance, 3) Offering bad advice, 4) Conflicting relationships, 5) Conflicts with friends, 6) Unsatisfying HCP experience, and 7) Receiving no support from family/organizations. The results of the study validated House's Social Support Theory and served as an excellent framework for exploring social support needs in fathers. More research needs to be conducted on the social support needs of fathers during the first year of their infants' lives, especially with experienced African American fathers and nonresidential fathers, and how health care professionals (HCPs), specifically postnatal and child health nurses, can better support fathers during the infancy period.

Recruitment, Retention, and Intervention Outcomes from the Dedicated African American Dad (DAAD) Study

A significant proportion of African American (AA) fathers live in households apart from their young children. This living arrangement can have detrimental effects for children, families, and fathers. One hundred seventy-eight (n = 178) AA fathers, not residing with their 2-6-year-old children, were enrolled in a randomized trial to test the Building Bridges to Fatherhood (BBTF) program against a financial literacy comparison condition. BBTF is an intervention that was developed collaboratively with a fathers' advisory council of AA fathers who oversaw all aspects of program development. Based upon advisory council feedback, short video scenes captured fathers interacting with their children, their children's mothers, and other fathers. These video scenes were used to jump start the discussion around fatherhood, parenting, communication, and problem solving during the intervention group meetings. The actors in the video scenes were recruited from the community. Two trained group leaders, using a standardized group leader manual, delivered the intervention. The Money Smart Financial Literacy Program (MSFLP), which served as the comparator, was also delivered by AA men. Program satisfaction was high in both conditions. Even so recruitment and retention challenges influenced the ability to detect father and child outcomes. This study informs the participation of vulnerable urban AA fathers in community-based fatherhood intervention research and provides insight into bolstering engagement in studies focused on this population.

Parents' Perspectives on Supporting Father Involvement in African American Families During Pregnancy and Early Infancy

OBJECTIVE

To explore fathers' pregnancy and early infancy experiences in supporting his infant, partner, and himself, using information collected from fathers, mothers, and mother-father dyads in a low-income, urban community.

BACKGROUND

Father involvement is associated with positive child health outcomes and parental well-being. However, little information exists about low-income parents' perceived needs for father involvement during pregnancy and infancy.

METHODS

This was an exploratory qualitative study of parents in low-income communities of Baltimore, Maryland. Participants were conveniently sampled via partnerships with community organizations. Eighty percent of parents were African American. Four focus groups were conducted with fathers (n = 8), 4 with mothers (n = 9), and 4 interviews with father-mother dyads (n = 8). Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using iterative, inductive open coding performed independently by two team members (interrater agreement 86%). Frequency tables were generated for identified categories for content analysis and theme development.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified: perspectives on the father role, supporting partners, negotiating co-parenting, parenting logistics, and learning parenting skills. Participants expressed the importance of fathers to "be there" and barriers to being involved (e.g., finances, lack of role models). Fathers discussed needing to learn how to manage partner conflicts, while mothers discussed fathers' need for greater empathy. Dyads discussed the importance of co-parenting strategies (e.g., effective communication, sharing responsibilities). Logistics included direct infant care, finances, and community resources. Fathers discussed learning by trial and error rather than informational resources and relying on healthcare professionals for pregnancy information and female relatives for infant care.

CONCLUSION

Participants discussed various needs of fathers to be effective partners and parents, and lacking informational resources tailored specifically for fathers. Research is needed to explore the best ways to tailor and disseminate information to fathers, especially prenatally.

IMPLICATIONS

Study findings have significant implications for improving the ways in which maternity care, community-based programs, and pediatric providers support father involvement.

Fatherhood Matters: An Integrative Review of Fatherhood Intervention Research

Positive father involvement is critical to the healthy social, emotional, and academic outcomes of children at all stages of development. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify, categorize, and evaluate the potential impact of fatherhood interventions on father and child outcomes. A systematic search of four major research databases yielded 44 studies published between 1988 and 2018 that met study inclusion criteria. The most effective interventions were delivered in the community, with fathers convened in groups. Content focused on promoting positive parenting, co-parenting, and father/child relationships. Consequently, father involvement and child cognitive and socioemotional development were improved. Academic settings were underutilized in the fatherhood interventions in this review. We conclude that in order to optimize healthy child development, school officials must adopt a more inclusive stance toward the involvement of fathers in their children's education. Future randomized trials of fatherhood interventions delivered within school-based settings are warranted.

African American Fathers' Perceived Role for the Dietary Behaviors of Their Children: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate African American (AA) fathers’ involvement in promoting healthful decisions related to obesity and the issues that are potentially influencing dietary patterns among their children and within their households. This exploratory study gathered data via semistructured focus groups (n = 3), which were thematically analyzed utilizing a grounded theory approach. Participants included AA fathers (n = 20) with a mean age of 37 years (±11.79), all of which had one or more children between the ages of 6 and 18 years. Three significant subthemes emerged from the focus group sessions, which included fathers’ perspectives about: (a) teaching by example; (b) eating healthy is expensive; and (c) cooking and eating at home. Understanding AA fathers’ perceived and desired role in their children’s health edification can inform initiatives that actively engage these men, and nurture their level of involvement, to promote positive health behaviors among their children. Such efforts are necessary for AA fathers to realize their potential to effectively serve as change agents and actively improve the health of their children, families, and communities.

Group-based transmission of fatherhood among intergenerational African American fathers: A case study

PROBLEM

Nonresidential fatherhood contributes to the fact that over 70% of African American (AA) children grow up in homes without their biological fathers. In the absence of gender-specific parental guidance, AA young men who become fathers may lack paternal-parenting preparation.

METHODS

This secondary data analysis describes the verbal exchange of fatherhood perspectives among four experienced fathers and one adolescent father who participated in a pilot of group-based fatherhood intervention. Qualitative descriptive case study methodology guided by Social Learning Theory was used to explore the transmission of fathering perspectives between fathers.

FINDINGS

Qualitative thematic analysis affirmed that adverse emotional and psychological distress may be avoided with positive parenting preparedness. Culturally-specific group-based bidirectional learning can transmit fatherhood knowledge and skills to adolescent nonresidential fathers and this new perspective can contribute to adolescent wellbeing.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need to investigate channels for AA adolescent boys, young men and fathers to engage in cultural-congruent paternal modeling in the event that their biological father or other social father role models are absent from their lives.

Fatherhood in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: An Examination of Barriers and Opportunities to Strengthen the Male Parenting Role

Traditional Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies value men's role as parents; however, the importance of promoting fatherhood as a key social determinant of men's well-being has not been fully appreciated in Western medicine. To strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male parenting role, it is vital to examine current barriers and opportunities. The first author (a male Aboriginal health project officer) conducted yarning sessions in three remote Australian communities, two being Aboriginal, the other having a high Aboriginal population. An expert sample of 25 Aboriginal and 6 non-Aboriginal stakeholders, including maternal and child health workers and men's group facilitators, considered barriers and opportunities to improve men's parenting knowledge and role, with an aim to inform services and practices intended to support men's parenting. A specific aim was to shape an existing men's group program known as Strong Fathers, Strong Families. A thematic analysis of data from the project identified barriers and opportunities to support men's role as parents. Challenges included the transition from traditional to contemporary parenting practices and low level of cultural and male gender sensitivity in maternal and child health services. Services need to better understand and focus on men's psychological empowerment and to address shame and lack of confidence around parenting. Poor literacy and numeracy are viewed as contributing to disempowerment. Communities need to champion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male father role models. Biases and barriers should be addressed to improve service delivery and better enable men to become empowered and confident fathers.

Health Information Behavior of Expectant and Recent Fathers

Given the importance of paternal involvement in maternal and child health, the current investigation takes a closer look at expectant and recent (E/R) fathers' health information behavior during pregnancy, childbirth, and child care. A total of 186 E/R fathers (68 low-income) completed a survey gauging information needs, sources of information, and information-seeking behavior. Results are summarized in four statements that may help low-income E/R fathers get the information they need during a partner's pregnancy or after a child is born: (a) paternal information needs are diverse, (b) information needs change across stages of child development,

Fathers' Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children: The Role of Pediatricians

Fathers' involvement in and influence on the health and development of their children have increased in a myriad of ways in the past 10 years and have been widely studied. The role of pediatricians in working with fathers has correspondingly increased in importance. This report reviews new studies of the epidemiology of father involvement, including nonresidential as well as residential fathers. The effects of father involvement on child outcomes are discussed within each phase of a child's development. Particular emphasis is placed on (1) fathers' involvement across childhood ages and (2) the influence of fathers' physical and mental health on their children. Implications and advice for all child health providers to encourage and support father involvement are outlined.