Ask A Researcher

July 2016

Father Involvement and the Future of Children and Families

Sean E. Brotherson, PhD, is a Professor and Extension Family Science Specialist with North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND. He earned his PhD in human development and family studies at Oregon State University in 2000. His work involves teaching family courses and developing educational programs for children, couples, and families. In his research, he focuses on father involvement across diverse settings and the dimensions of generative fathering. He is the co-editor of the book Why Fathers Count (with Joseph White) and former co-director of the Dakota Fatherhood Initiative. In this article, he discusses the issue of father involvement in family life, fathers’ contribution to child well-being, and how fathers can be encouraged to give care and support their families.  

 

 

Q: Why is father involvement a topic of social concern in America today?

A wide variety of scholarly studies, publications, and social programs in recent years have focused attention on the issue of fathering. Diverse disciplines ranging from early childhood education to juvenile justice to modern health care have sought to address the topic of male involvement in family life and its consequences. According to some scholars, the “most urgent social problem” in the United States today is the increasing number of fathers who either are not in the home or are ineffective parents while at home. As a result of such social concerns, efforts to encourage better fathering have been ongoing in the United States for over twenty years.
Why is fathering an important issue on the nation’s agenda? Perhaps because, as a number of scholars have noted, increasingly more children do not reside with their fathers, have only limited interaction with their fathers, and receive little economic support from their fathers. One research study on the topic of family upheaval in America addressed this concern about father involvement and was titled: “A Generation at Risk.” Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that one of every three children in America, which amounts to 24 million children, lives in a home without the involved presence of a father or father figure. Because children depend on the adults in their lives for care and support, the question of how adults are responding to the needs of the rising generation is a critical issue for families and communities.

Q: In what ways do fathers make contributions to the well-being of children and families?

            A body of research that is impressive in its size and breadth has been conducted that examines the question of how fathers make contributions to the well-being of children and families. Such research confirms that all caring adults, including mothers, fathers, and other caregivers, are important in the lives of children. Additionally, it suggests that committed, involved fathers and father figures bring many positive elements to the growth and development of children, the stability of families, and the well-being of communities. A brief sampling of research findings that highlight the contributions of fathers in family life is illustrative:

  • Data analyzed from the National Study of Families and Households showed that when fathers were more involved, children experienced fewer behavior problems and anxieties, got along better with others, and were more responsible.
  • Research on empathy in adulthood found that the strongest predictor of empathy for others was the level of care and support by fathers in childhood. This applied to both men and women.
  • Summarizing a series of studies on fathers’ influence on young children, research indicates that fathers’ interest and involvement in the early years of a child’s life is strongly associated with higher cognitive functioning and greater academic achievement among school-age children.
  • Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth indicates that a father’s absence significantly increases the likelihood of difficulties with peers, depressive behavior in boys, and behavior challenges for girls.
  • In the case of non-resident fathers, recent research indicates that regular and positive father-child contact in the first decade of a child’s life is strongly associated with better social and emotional functioning, higher reading achievement, and improved academic performance.
  • Childhood poverty in America is affected by fathers’ ties to the family. Children living in family settings where fathers reside with the family, or are regularly involved, have substantially lower rates of poverty than families with tenuous ties to the father.

 

This set of issues that affect child well-being – getting along with others, empathy, academic achievement, child poverty, depression in childhood – is significantly affected by a father’s presence and involvement. The list of issues important to child well-being that are substantially influenced by positive father involvement could be further expanded, but this listing is sufficient to make the point. One scholar who tracked the contributions of fathers to children across generations in a four-decade study noted that such efforts matter “over a lifetime” and “even over generations.” 

Q: How can fathers and men in general be encouraged in efforts to give responsible care and support in family life?

            While there have been a variety of attempts to launch new perspectives on fathers in contemporary society, at the same time a vigorous social debate over men and their relevance in family life has sometimes made it difficult for men to adapt to changing family expectations. Men are affected in their efforts to be good parents by their understanding of a father’s role and responsibilities, the expectations of parenting, and sources of support for their efforts.
            An important starting point to encouraging men in family life is to provide clear ideas about a father’s roles and responsibilities. Some advocates have advanced ideas such as the “new fatherhood” to clarify paternal responsibilities. It has been pointed out that how fathers behave in their individual relationships often lags behind changing cultural expectations about fatherhood. Often, men are faced with messages that arise from a “deficiency model of manhood” that reinforces negative images of men and their deficiencies in carrying out the tasks of parenthood. And yet, it is men’s strengths – their capacity to care, protect, and give – that are needed by children, women, and men themselves. Emphasizing men’s capacities for care and encouraging growth based on existing strengths tends to be more successful in encouraging positive male involvement than any other approach.
            Changing patterns in contemporary family life have moved expectations for parenting in the direction of shared caregiving efforts between partners who parent. As a result, the disparity between men and women in spending time doing family work and giving direct care to children has shifted significantly, and women expect that men will be involved in all the tasks of parenting children. Since 1965, fathers have doubled the amount of time they spend weekly in doing household chores (from 4 to 10 hours) and tripled the amount of time they spend weekly caring directly for children (from 2.5 to 7 hours). Such changes are likely to continue as roles in family life become more egalitarian and expectations for shared involvement are solidified among rising generations. In general, clear expectations with regard to parenting tasks are beneficial to men in encouraging them to reach toward responsible, involved parenting.
            Programs and policies designed to encourage men in their fathering efforts also have an influence on how men think and act as parents. Typically, men receive less socialization while growing up that prepares them for parenting and so it is important to foster creative ways to mentor and support them in such efforts. From the local level to the national government, specific initiatives to support and encourage responsible fathering have been ongoing across the United States for over two decades. Whether through public awareness campaigns or parenting newsletters or mentoring programs, fathers and families are well served by the specific message that everyone benefits when men fulfill their paternal opportunities and responsibilities.
  

References List

Brotherson, S. E., & White, J. M. (Eds.). (2007). Why fathers count: The importance of fathers
and their involvement with children. Harriman, TN: Men’s Studies Press.

Brotherson, S. E., Dollahite, D. C., & Hawkins, A. J. (2005). Generative fathering and the
dynamics of connection between fathers and their children. Fathering: A Journal of Theory,
Research, and Practice About Men as Fathers, Vol. 3(1), 1-28.

Cabrera, N., & Tamis-Lemonda, C. (2013). Handbook of father involvement: Multidisciplinary perspectives. New York: Routledge.

Lamb, M. E. (Ed.). (2010). The role of the father in child development (5th ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.

Pattnaik, J., & Sriram, R. (2010). Father/male involvement in the care and education of children: History, trends, research, policies, and programs around the world. Childhood Education, 86, 354-359.

Popenoe, D. (2009). Families without fathers: Fathers, marriage and children in American society. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers.

Sarkadi, A., Kristiansson, R., Oberklaid, F., & Bremberg, S. (2008). Fathers’ involvement and children’s developmental outcomes: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Acta Paediatrica, 97, 153-158.

Shwalb, D. W., Shwalb, B. J., & Lamb, M. E. (Eds.). (2013). Fathers in cultural context. New York: Routledge.

Further Resources on Father Involvement

For further information on father involvement and related issues, contact:

Ask a researcher archive

North Dakota Compass. North Dakota Compass Releases the 2024 Compass Points
March 2024

Nicholas Bauroth. City Governance: Commission or Council for Fargo, North Dakota?
February 2024

Ina Cernusca. 2024 Brings a NEW Visualization Tool and Data Updates to the North Dakota State Legislative District Profiles.
January 2024

Samuel Faraday Saidu and Chelsey Hukriede. Strapped for Safety: Exploring Insights into Car Seat Knowledge Among North Dakota Mothers.
December 2023

Debarati Kole and Kendra Erickson-Dockter. A Comprehensive Look at the Multifaceted Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression
October 2023

Valquiria F. Quirino and Avram Slone. COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota: Significance, progression, and government response.
September 2023

Karen Olson. The Lasting Impact of Maternal Childhood Trauma
August 2023

Avram Slone. The Social Variability of COVID-19 Mortality in North Dakota between March 11th, 2020 and February 13th, 2022
July 2023

Nancy Hodur and Dean Bangsund. Agriculture a Key Driver in the North Dakota economy
June 2023

Karen Olson. Health and Well-Being in North Dakota. Understanding how the five social determinants of health are impacting the ability of North Dakotans to thrive
May 2023

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. North Dakota Compass: 10 years of Measuring Progress and Inspiring Action.
April 2023

Hannah Hanson & Grace Njau. Every Dad Counts: North Dakota Fatherhood Experiences Survey
March 2023

Nancy Hodur. Housing Market Conditions and Declining Homeownership Rates
February 2023

North Dakota Compass. 2022 Recap: Data highlighted throughout the year
January 2023

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. A Look into a Chronic Condition and Pregnancy: Preexisting Diabetes PRAMS Points 2022
December 2022

Nancy Hodur and Karen Olson. Lower-income households and baby boomers, main drivers for North Dakota housing needs in the near term
November 2022

Avram Slone. The Impact of COVID-19 on Group Quarters in North Dakota
October 2022

Chelsey Hukriede. Safe Sleep PRAMS Points 
September 2022

Kendra Erickson-Dockter. Gestational Diabetes PRAMS Points – A NEW Dashboard Format!
August 2022

Aastha Bhandari, Debarati Kole, Dr. Nancy Hodur. Mission Of Mercy: Giving hope through a smile.
July 2022

Ina Cernusca.Households with children have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the first year of the pandemic.
May 2022

Andy Wiese and Karen Olson. One Health System’s Approach to Improving Community Health. Understanding what the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment Conducted by Sanford Health means for population health
April 2022

Mariel Lopez-Valentin and Grace Njau. North Dakota Title X, Family Planning Needs Assessment
January 2022

Nancy Hodur and Dean Bangsund. North Dakota Lignite Energy Industry Workforce
December 2021

Ina Cernusca. Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in North Dakota
October 2021

Nancy Hodur and Karen Olson. Rural Communities Will Benefit from a New Cooperative in Walsh County
September 2021

Matt Schmidt and Grace Njau. COVID-19 Trends Among North Dakota Children, March 2020 – March 2021
August 2021

Kendra Erickson-Dockter and Ina Cernusca. COVID Hardship on North Dakota Households: New study on the impacts on North Dakota households that lost employment income during the pandemic
July 2021

Chelsey Hukriede and Kendra Erickson-Dockter. NEW! PRAMS Points – A Brief Infographic using North Dakota PRAMS Survey Data
May 2021

North Dakota Compass: A look inside the 2021 Compass Points
April 2021

Ina Cernusca: Households with children are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
March 2021

Ina Cernusca: Differences in COVID-19 Risk Factors at District Level
February 2021

Kendra Erickson-Dockter, Chelsey Hukriede, and Grace Njau: An Introduction to the North Dakota Study of Associated Risks of Stillbirth (SOARS)
October 2020

Karen Ehrens: North Dakota Families are Facing Food and Other Hardships in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, and Helpers Respond
September 2020

Ina Cernusca: Taking the pulse of North Dakota households during the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 2020

Nancy Hodur:Challenges of Grocery Stores in Rural North Dakota
May 2020

North Dakota Compass:2020 Compass Points: Measuring progress. Inspiring action.
March 2020

Amy Tichy:Student Veterans in the College Classroom.
February 2020

North Dakota Compass:North Dakota Compass launches the 2020 State Legislative District Profiles
January 2020

Grace Njau, Nancy Hodur:&Chelsey Hukriede: Risk Behaviors among Women with a Recent Live Birth in North Dakota: Findings from the 2017 North Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
November 2019

Ina Cernusca:& Karen Olson: Behind the scenes – The story of the North Dakota State Legislative District Profiles
October 2019

Ina Cernusca: Key demographic trends in North Dakota.
August 2019

Karen Olson: The 30th edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT® Data Book finds that 175,772 children will shape the future of a more diverse North Dakota.
July 2019

Shweta Arpit Srivastava & Dr. Ann Burnett: “Giving rope and pulling it back”: Parental dilemmas to prevent adolescent substance use
June 2019

Ina Cernusca: 2019 Compass Points: Setting direction for improving the quality of life in North Dakota
May 2019

Joshua Marineau and Onnolee Nordstrom: Learning from Fargo -- An Exploration of the Fargo-Moorhead Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
March 2019

Nancy Hodur: Improving Oral Health for Older Adults in North Dakota
November 2018

Rachelle Vettern: Engaging Volunteers across Generations
October 2018

Karen Olson: The 2018 KIDS COUNT® Data Book reveals strengths and challenges for children in North Dakota – and emphasizes that an inaccurate census in 2020 threatens to worsen existing challenges for North Dakota youth
July 2018

Lori Capouch: Is food access a concern in rural North Dakota?
May 2018

Deb Nelson: Williston Basin 2016: Employment, Population, and Housing Forecasts – An Overview
January 2018

Karen Olson: North Dakota among Top 10 States in Country for Child Well-Being
July 2017

Nancy Hodur: SEAL!North Dakota: A School Dental Sealant Program
June 2017

Grace Njau: A Brief Introduction to the North Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
April 2017

Ina Cernusca: North Dakota’s Women study: A brief overview
March 2017

Dean Bangsund: Effects of Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion on Spring Planting for Producers
February 2017

Deb Nelson: Vision West: Leading, Educating, and Collaborating to Mobilize the 19 Western North Dakota Counties Towards Resilience and Prosperity
December 2016

Nancy Hodur: North Dakota Statewide Housing Needs Assessment: A Brief Overview of the Population and Housing Forecast component
November 2016

Social Isolation: Experiential Narratives of African Refugee Women in the Fargo-Moorhead Community
September 2016

Sean Brotherson: Father Involvement and the Future of Children and Families
July 2016

Carol Cwiak: Bakken Oil: What Have We Learned and What Will We Do Differently Next Time
June 2016

Jessica Creuzer: The Changing Face of Western North Dakota: What are the Effects of Increased Travel from Energy Development
April 2016

ND Compass: City Profiles
February 2016

ND Department of Health: Making Change Happen
January 2016

Jennifer Weber: A Bold New Direction for the North Dakota University System - The NDUS Edge Dashboards
December 2015

Wendy Troop-Gordon: What Has Science Taught Us About Bullying?
November 2015

ND Compass: A Look at the Youngest North Dakotans
October 2015

Kendra Erickson-Dockter: Growing Older in North Dakota
September 2015

Michael Ziesch: Data You Can Trust: The Labor Market Information Center
August 2015

Malini Srivastava and Troy Raisanen: efargo: City Scale Sustainability
July 2015

Kevin Iverson: The State Repository of Census Information- The North Dakota Census
June 2015

Wonwoo Byun: Reducing Sedentary Behavior is a Key for Obesity Prevention in Children
May 2015

Kathryn Gordon: The Science of Suicide Prevention
April 2015

ND Compass: Tell a Story with Data! The Importance of Crade-to-Career Success
March 2015

Abby Gold: Community Food Systems: Food Charters and More
February 2015

Heather Fuller-Iglesias: The Importance of Recognizing the Role of Social Support in Human Development Across the Lifespan
January 2015

Michael Carbone: Using Data to End Homelessness
December 2014

Randal Coon: Tribal Colleges Contribute to the State's Economy
November 2014

Deb White: Women's Representation in Elected Office
October 2014

Randal Coon: Pull Factors Measure Retail Trade Performance
September 2014

Karen Olson: North Dakota ranks Well Nationally with Regard to Overall Child Well-Being; However, Substantial Opportunities for Improvement Exist
August 2014

Julie Garden-Robinson: Guard Against Grilling Gaffes: Healthy Grilling and Food Safety Tips
July 2014

Michael Noone: Extreme Weather Patterns- North Dakota Has It All
June 2014

Kathleen Tweeten: Why All Community Development Decisions Should Use the Community Capitals Framework
May 2014

Clayton Hilmert: Stress effects on pregnancy: The impact of the 2009 Red River flood on birth weight
April 2014

Karen Ehrens: Food Deserts and how they impact North Dakota
March 2014

Gretchen Dobervich and Kendra Erickson-Dockter: New Geographic Profiles: How they can work for you
February 2014

Compass Staff: "New Compass Team Brings Changes in 2014"
January 2014

Donna Grandbois: "Fargo-Moorhead American Indian Community-Sponsored Health Needs Assessment"
November 2013

Karen Olson: "North Dakota KIDS COUNT - why it counts for you
October 2013

Nancy Hodur: "Western North Dakota School Administrators Face Challenges"
August 2013

Megan Chmielewski: "Annual population estimates tell interesting stories about North Dakota's growth patterns"
July 2013

Ramona Danielson: "Learn how to make the ND Compass website work for you"
May 2013

Karen Olson: "About the American Community Survey (ACS)"
February 2013

North Dakota Compass

Center for Social Research
North Dakota State University

Compass created by:
Wilder Research

© 2024. All rights reserved.