This proposal requests support for a study designed to increase paternal involvement in African American non-resident fathers. Although the number of children living without fathers has grown nationally, the greatest percentage of children living apart from their fathers is found among African American (AA) families. Two thirds of all AA children in the United States live in households without their biological father. Father presence is important to the emotional, social and developmental well being of children throughout the child's life. Therefore, the purposes of this project are to (1) develop and test an innovative fatherhood program for increasing and sustaining paternal involvement among AA fathers and their young children (0-5 years) and (2) describe the contexts of improvements or lack of improvements in involvement for fathers who participated in the intervention. In Phase 1, fathers from the target population will collaborate with the research team in the development of a video-based fatherhood program called the Chicago Fatherhood Program (CFP). In Phase 2, the CFP will be tested among 160 families of young children from 4 community and 2 corrections settings serving African American fathers (80 intervention and 80 control families). Participants will be assessed at pre- intervention, post-intervention, and at 6 months and 12 months post intervention using self-report measures completed by fathers and the child's biological mother. Dependent variables include: paternal involvement (material and in-kind [non-monetary] support and direct father/child interaction), father parenting competence (self-efficacy, satisfaction, parenting skills and knowledge), father psychological wellbeing (self-esteem, general and racial stress), father- mother relationship quality, and maternal reports of child behavior and development (cognitive, emotional, social). In Phase 3, 25% of intervention fathers whose paternal involvement increased and 25% of fathers whose paternal involvement remained the same or decreased;and their children's mothers will be interviewed. The purpose of the interviews is to explore parents'perceptions of factors that promoted or inhibited improvements in paternal involvement and understand which intervention components may need modification. This proposal builds on our prior research by (1) refining an effective and culturally relevant parent training model so that it has enhanced social and contextual validity for African American non-resident fathers in community and corrections settings, and (2) providing a real-world intervention for fathers that has as its primary aim to facilitate and sustain father involvement in early childhood, before father estrangement becomes entrenched and intractable. This study is consistent with the NINR's goal for the 21st century to address cultural and ethnic disparities in health promotion and intervention activities. Public Health Relevance: This proposal to develop and test a fatherhood program for increasing and sustaining paternal involvement among African American non-resident (AANR) fathers is relevant to public health because over two-thirds of African American children live in homes without their fathers. Children with fathers who are continuously and actively involved have better cognitive, social, and emotional development and better health. Fathers who are continuously and actively involved with their children also fare better than fathers who are not. Thus, an effective fatherhood program may improve the health outcomes and social well-being of children and fathers.
This proposal to develop and test a fatherhood program for increasing and sustaining paternal involvement among African American non-resident (AANR) fathers is relevant to public health because over two-thirds of African American children live in homes without their fathers. Children with fathers who are continuously and actively involved have better cognitive, social, and emotional development and better health. Fathers who are continuously and actively involved with their children also fare better than fathers who are not. Thus, an effective fatherhood program may improve the health outcomes and social well-being of children and fathers.
| Julion, Wrenetha A; Sumo, Jen'nea; Bounds, Dawn T (2018) A tripartite model for recruiting African-Americans into fatherhood intervention research. Public Health Nurs 35:420-426 |
| Julion, Wrenetha A; Sumo, Jen'nea; Bounds, Dawn T et al. (2016) Study protocol for a randomized clinical trial of a fatherhood intervention for African American non-resident fathers: Can we improve father and child outcomes? Contemp Clin Trials 49:29-39 |
| Julion, Wrenetha A; Breitenstein, Susan M; Waddell, Donald (2012) Fatherhood intervention development in collaboration with African American non-resident fathers. Res Nurs Health 35:490-506 |
