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Journal Article Although several systematic reviews have addressed the antecedents and consequences of adolescent motherhood, none have examined adolescent fatherhood.
The aims of this systematic review were to identify evidence-based factors that increase the probability of adolescent fatherhood and to identify outcomes that differ between adolescent fathers compared to two other groups, namely adult fathers and non-father age peers. The current study used a theoretical framework, Parke's systems view, to guide the review.
A total of 2869 unique published sources were screened and 39 met…
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Journal Article The effects of father absence on children have been well documented in research and range from increased risk of poverty, to increased risk of incarceration (Anderson et al. Family Relations 51(2):148-155, 2002). This study presents a longitudinal evaluation of young fathers involvement with their children conducted within the scope of a teen parenting program in Arlington County, Virginia. The respondents in the study are young, mainly Hispanic fathers who come from lower socio-economic groups. The theoretical foundation for the parenting program was derived from Prochaska's Transtheoretical…
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Journal Article African American paternal grandmothers serve an important role in influencing teenage fathers’ involvement with their children in that grandmothers’ support of their sons’ fathering practices is associated with increased father involvement. We used qualitative data from 53 paternal grandmothers to compare satisfaction with teenage sons’ fathering practices with their expectations for ideal fathering and identify reasons for inconsistencies between the two. Paternal grandmothers characterized three practices (providing financial support, being attentive, and performing day-to-day care) that…
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Journal Article A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted with six adolescent fathers of Mexican origin on juvenile probation for a variety of serious offenses. All participants successfully completed a parenting program designed especially for teen fathers. In a series of consecutive in-depth interviews, teen fathers were asked to discuss their experiences as fathers. Four phenomena were identified from the data: (a) not giving up and deciding to be a dad, (b) figuring out my relationships after becoming a father, (c) wanting to be a good father, and (d) wanting to be Brown and a father. Findings…
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Journal Article Race/ethnic differences in the prevalence of and characteristics associated with low support provided by fathers of babies born to pregnant adolescents were examined among 719 adolescent mothers who were interviewed postpartum. Low support was reported by 41.9% of African-American, 26.2% of Mexican-American, and 19.4% of Caucasian adolescent mothers. Across race/ethnic subgroups, fathers who provided limited support were characterized by chronic substance use, gang or police involvement, or partner-directed violence. Policies advocating universal father involvement without concomitant…
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Journal Article The author investigated the relationship between self-image and parental behavior of adolescent fathers. The study included a convenience sample of 43 African American unwed adolescent fathers. Data were collected from a questionnaire. Findings indicated that attitudes regarding family of origin and sexuality as well as coping skills influenced parental responsibility. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Research into adolescent parenting involvement has focused primarily on mothers while neglecting fathers. This article concentrates on ecological factors that influence the parental involvement of adolescent fathers, such as the stresses of adolescent fatherhood, role during pregnancy, and the father's relationship with the child's mother and her parents. These factors must be acknowledged and addressed by practitioners working with adolescent parents. Issues relevant to the parental involvement of African American adolescent fathers are highlighted in order to balance the negative portrayal…
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Journal Article The CARRI Program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's Community Mental Health Center in Piscataway developed a home-based family therapy program for adolescent parents that included their extended families. Participation of extended families is important especially for cultural groups such as African-Americans, who have strong intergenerational bonds. This article provides an overview of cultural and systemic issues in African American families and their experience with teen pregnancy. Multigenerational incidence of teen pregnancy and single parenthood,…
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Journal Article This study explored the lived experience of parenting that may inform individual health practices and behavior of young, ethnic minority, primarily Latino parents, participants in a HIV prevention intervention. Narrative accounts from parents (N = 90) were analyzed to illuminate the impact of parental protectiveness and aspirations for the child. Focus groups (n = 23) were utilized to generate a nuanced understanding of young parenthood. Self-reflective, complex, and multidimensional perspectives on parental protectiveness emerged along themes: (a) "growing up thoughtful," (b) "you gotta…
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Journal Article Data from the Fragile Families and Child-Well-being Study were used to examine predictors of involvement among fathers of young children ( N=2,215) born to adolescent and young adult mothers (ages 14-25; N=2,850). Participants were interviewed immediately following their baby's birth and at 3-years postpartum regarding co-parental relationship quality, fathers' caretaking behavior ("father involvement"), and fathers' provision of material support for the child ("in-kind" support). Early postnatal and 3-year postpartum parental relationship quality and father-child cohabitation predicted 3-…
