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Journal Article Florida Senate Bill 550, which failed in the state House of Representatives during the 1998 session, was intended to protect the rights of unwed fathers who wish to contest the adoption of their child. The proposal would require that courts dismiss termination of parental rights pending adoption hearings for unwed fathers who do not consent to adoption, unless there is evidence of abandonment. The child would then be placed with the father instead of the prospective adoptive parents. This article critically reviews the provisions of Senate Bill 550 and examines its implications for children…
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Journal Article This article examines how incarcerated fathers who try to maintain relationships with their children face obstacles that differ from those of other fathers separated from their children. Correctional policies and regulations that present challenges to incarcerated fathers are discussed, including issues of visitation and child support. Child welfare practices frequently neglect incarcerated fathers, and four strategies for change are offered: (1) establishing national standards covering parents in prison and their children; (2) model child welfare policies and regulations; (3) a national…
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Journal Article Fathers who abandon their sons challenge sons' capacity to restore self-esteem and create intimacy. The physical and emotional absence of fathers has increased through the 20th century, and most single-parent families are headed by mothers. Therapy for abandoned sons includes grieving and reducing the mystery of abandonment. (Author abstract).
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Journal Article Religion is a covenant faith community that enhances spirituality and encourages morality and it is most influencial in encouraging a father to be involved with his children. This is in opposition to popular social and cultural attitudes that discourage men from fully participating in their children's lives.
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Journal Article The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between perceptions of the parenting alliance, marital quality, and the amount of involvement fathers have in raising their young children. Subjects were 89 predominately White, two-parent families with preschool aged children. Self-report and interview data were collected to measure each parent's participation in three categories of parental involvement (interaction, accessibility, and responsibility), as well as perceptions of the parenting alliance and marital quality. Multiple regression procedures suggested that…
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Journal Article This article examines how much fathers participate in child care, an important component of domestic duties, and factors related to it. It has the advantage of longitudinal data, so that it is possible to look at changes in fathers' participation and factors affecting changes and continuities over time. The data come from the 1987-1988 and 1992-1993 National Surveys of Families and Households. The sample is restricted to White, two-parent families with at least one child younger than 5 years of age at the time of the first survey. The analyses control for the number of children and the gender…
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Journal Article In a longitudinal study of the effects of early childhood abuse, 92 adolescents who had become parents while under 20 years of age were compared to 297 adolescents who had not become parents during their teenage years. Three hypotheses are examined: that early childhood abuse and neglect are risk factors for subsequent adolescent pregnancy and parenthood; that low self-esteem is related to both early abuse and later adolescent parenthood and may mediate the relationship between them; and that adolescent parenthood is related to high school dropout and to other types of social deviance--…
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Journal Article A recent study conducted by the United States Department of Education found that father involvement has a direct effect on a child's academic achievement. Although fathers and mothers interact differently with their children, both parents have an important role in child development. Father involvement can be enhanced by caring for the child during infancy, attending doctor's appointments, participating in daily routines and joint activities, and encouraging independence during adolescence.
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Journal Article This article reviews the rights of unwed fathers in contested adoption cases. Part 1 of the article serves as an introduction to the issues and outlines a recent Florida case involving a father's thwarted effort to contest an adoption. Part 2 discusses State's interests and parental rights, and distinguishes the separate legal standing of unwed fathers, especially in contested at-birth adoption cases. Part 3 explains the birth rights doctrine and its underlying policies. Part 4 reviews the historical and modern treatment of the rights of birth fathers. Part 5 reviews several competing legal…
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Journal Article Fathers make definite contributions to infant development and are now spending more time with their children than in many past decades. This article reviews the most compelling research on the developmental importance of fathers, including father infant attachment and interaction, and differences between maternal and paternal interaction styles. Results of a long term study of primary caretaking fathers also are presented. Research and practical applications are provided. 48 references. (Author abstract modified)
