Fathers and Parenting Education: Examining Role Perceptions of Fathers Formerly Involved in the Public Child Welfare System

This phenomenological study explored the role perceptions of fathers who were formally involved in the public child welfare system and completed a community based fatherhood program through a family services agency. Symbolic interactionism and identity theory served as guiding frameworks for the investigation. Ten semi-structured interviews were performed. Data gathered from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and synthesized via first and second cycle coding. One main theme, Physical and Emotional Presence, and one subtheme fathers' roles (provider, role model, and nurturer) emerged from the discourse. Implications for practice were noted.    

Objectives

To explore the impact of a fatherhood program on participants' role perceptions. To highlight the multidimensional roles of fathers in the family. To inform parent educators about the unique needs of fathers formally involved in the public child welfare system.

Father-child relationship: How do fathers want it to be?

The quality of the parent-child relationship is one of the most important factors for optimal child well-being. Less attention has been paid to fathers as caregivers than to mothers. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to gain a deeper understanding of fathers' pedagogical vision-their values, goals, and practices. The findings indicate that among fathers' values they emphasize love and care for their children which also get reflected in their goals and perceived practices. They do though, not always know how to be the fathers they want to be. The findings should be informative for professionals in parent education.

Objectives

To examine fathers' pedagogical vision

Men’s Participation in a Community-Based CRE Program

Guided by family systems theory and the preventative science approach, we aim to explore the associations between contextual, individual, parental, and relationship variables and men's participation in relationship education and parenting programs. We further assess whether men's participation in these programs then moderates the links between pre- and post-test couple relationship quality, co-parenting agreement and conflict, and parental involvement and affection. Initial adaptive boosting classification showed that marital status, transportation barriers to employment, income level, physical health, race/ethnicity, receiving housing assistance, psychological stress level, age, and participating religious services are significant predictors of men's participation in the program.

Objectives

1)to assess the efficacy of couple relationship education programs 2)to examine the potential factors related to men’s couple relationship education program participation. 3 ) to assess whether men’s participation in programs will increase women’s co-parenting, couple relationship quality, and parental involvement and affection

Identifying How Leisure Influences Family Functioning of US Army Personnel

This study explored competing models that examined how family leisure impacts the relationship between constraints and family functioning among 222 previously deployed, US Army personnel. Based on Leisure Constraint Theory, the first model examined whether family leisure served as a mediating influence between constraints and family functioning. Rooted in Effort Recovery Theory, the second model examined whether family leisure served as a moderating influence. Results indicated support for leisure constraint theory, such that family leisure served as a linking mechanism. Discussion of the importance of family leisure as an informal support and implications for intervention will be included.

Objectives

To extend leisure theory to military families. To evaluate factors that contribute to military family readiness. To identify intervention and/or prevention mechanisms for military families.