Brief
This brief describes the work of Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Re-entering Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP) grantees in delivering programming in correctional facilities. The brief documents challenges faced by grantees, including logistical barriers, recruitment problems, and challenges retaining incarcerated fathers in programming. (Author abstract)
Brief
This brief describes the work of Responsible Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated and Re-entering Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP) grantees in delivering programming to the partners of incarcerated fathers. The brief documents services offered to partners; challenges encountered in enrolling and serving partners; and solutions grantees employed to meet these challenges. (Author abstract)
Brief
This issue brief explains that the economic health and social well-being of the United States are significantly enhanced when parents have the tools they need to help their children start school prepared to learn, develop thesocial skills necessary to pay attention and work in teams, and grow up to be productive adults. It explores the physical development of the infant brain and the impact of stimulus, and the benefits of parent education programs. Findings from studies on the effectiveness of parenting programs are shared, and 10 parenting programs that are strong enough to have a possible…
Brief
Intended for parents, this brief emphasizes the importance of fathers in the development of children. The benefits of active fathering are considered and barriers to active fathering are explained, including: men often have less experience with children than women, men tend not to feel the same social pressure as women to learn how to care for their own, mothers can view fathers as less competent, and family arrangements and socioeconomic realities can make fathering challenge. Strategies for keeping fathers involved in parenting are discussed. 5 references.
Brief
Destinado a los padres, este resumen enfatiza la importancia de los padres en el desarrollo de los niños. Se consideran los beneficios de la paternidad activa y se explican las barreras para la paternidad activa, que incluyen: los hombres a menudo tienen menos experiencia con los niños que las mujeres, los hombres tienden a no sentir la misma presión social que las mujeres para aprender a cuidar de los suyos, las madres pueden ver los padres como menos competentes, y los arreglos familiares y las realidades socioeconómicas pueden hacer que la paternidad sea un desafío. Se discuten…
Brief
Alcohol abuse affects millions of families either directly or indirectly, and the abuse of legal substances is a prominent concern for public health officials throughout the world (Corroa, et al., 2000; World Health Organization [WHO], 2004; WHO, 1997). According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2005), of the 3.8 million persons who received treatment in the U.S. for alcohol or drugs in the past year, more than half (2.4 million) were treated for alcohol abuse. Approximately 55 percent of adults report having had…
Brief
This brief shares research findings on juvenile delinquency, explores the association between juvenile delinquency and family structure, and discusses implications for marriage education programs. Statistics are reported from a 20-year longitudinal study that indicate boys who grew up without their biological father in the home were three times more likely to commit a crime that led to incarceration than children from intact families. Additional findings are discussed that found children of divorced parents are up to six times more likely to be delinquent than children from intact families…
Brief
This research brief explores the effects of marital quality on health. It begins by citing research that getting married and being married is linked to many positive physical and mental health outcomes. Reasons for the link between marriage and good health are then explored, including the "selection effect" that occurs when people who are inherently healthier mentally and physically are more likely get married and to stay married; the "protection" effect that asserts that marriage itself changes individual health risk behaviors and encourages behaviors that are more likely to promote and…
Brief
This brief reviews trends in family structure in the United States and implications for children, adults, and society. Data is shared on rates of divorce, nonmarital births, and nonmarital cohabitation. Statistics are cited that indicate the probability of marriages ending in divorce increased more or less continuously until 1990 and then stabilized; between 43% and 46% of current marriages will end in divorce and divorce rates vary by ethnic background; the share of children born outside of marriage has increased substantially, rising from 11% of all births in 1970 to 36% in 2004; and…
Brief
Young adults today live in an American society where social norms include divorce, living together outside of marriage and having children out-of-wedlock. The U.S. divorce rate has decreased slightly and stabilized in recent years, yet divorce remains a significant social issue. Previous research has shown that the implications for children who experience the divorce of their parents include elevated risk for conduct disorders and psychological problems, low self-esteem, a greater likelihood of obtaining a lower level of education and lower status jobs, and greater potential to experience…
