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Journal Article This paper contributes to the field of comparative research on fatherhood practice and policy. Specifically, the paper promotes knowledge of welfare state variations by providing a theoretical model of "two worlds" of father politics, as exemplified by the USA and Sweden. By adopting a historical approach, the analysis identifies a longstanding divergence between neo-patriarchal trends in the USA and de-patriarchalisation trends in Sweden. In addition, the study finds that neopatriarchal perspectives on fatherhood have amplified under the American neo-liberal social policy paradigm of welfare…
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Journal Article Much is unknown about how traditional fathering roles have changed in the developing nations in conjunction with the rise of nuclear dual earner families. Fathers' employment leave patterns and involvement with children were assessed for a convenience sample of 86 parents in Bangladesh. Fifty-nine mothers and 27 fathers completed self-administered questionnaires on employment leave, child care activities, and attitudes. Questionnaires and measures used were based on a United States (U.S.) study with a comparable sample (cf. Seward, Yeatts, Amin, & DeWitt, 2006) in order to allow a…
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Journal Article We investigated maternal perceptions of responsible fathering among pregnant and parenting teenage mothers by interviewing 10 adolescent mothers. Mothers responded to what being a responsible father means to them and described the degree of involvement by the father of their children. Five primary themes emerged as characteristics of responsible fathers: "being there" for the child, helping to take care of the child, loving and caring for the child, providing financial support, and playing with the child. Seven major themes developed in response to mothers' perceptions of their children's…
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Journal Article Efforts to reduce infant mortality in the United States have failed to incorporate paternal involvement. Research suggests that paternal involvement, which has been recognized as contributing to child development and health for many decades, is likely to affect infant mortality through the mother's well-being, primarily her access to resources and support. In spite of that, systemic barriers facing the father and the influence on his involvement in the pregnancy have received little attention. The Commission on Paternal Involvement in Pregnancy Outcomes (CPIPO) has identified the most…
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Journal Article The article discusses the effectiveness of the Safe Return Initiative in preventing domestic violence involving prisoners who have returned to their intimate partners and family members. The initiative was run by the Vera Institute of Justice and the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American community. The project was financed by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.(Author abstract)
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Journal Article Almost one third of all children in the United States are born to unmarried parents. This figure is even higher among poor and minority populations. Because of their heightened risk for economic and social problems and family dissolution, disadvantaged, unmarried parents have been called 'fragile families.' In 2002 the Bush administration announced its Healthy Marriage Initiative. Its purpose was to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples. In 2006 the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) allocated $150 million a year to marriage and fatherhood…
The Parents as Teachers Promoting Responsible Fatherhood project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of an adaptation of the Parents as Teachers model with low-income fathers as the primary target population. The project goal is to increase father involvement in Parents as Teachers services. Fathers who live with their children (residential fathers) who meet the income criteria (under 200% federal poverty level) were recruited toparticipate in a 12-week group meeting cycle lasting 3 months. During these 3 months, fathers also participated in home visits by Parents…
