Fathers’ Perspectives on Supports and Barriers That Affect Their Fatherhood Role

Dontae’ Roberts, Tanya M. Coakley, Tyreasa J. Washington and Allyson Kelley

SAGE Open, 2014, vol. 4, issue 1, 2158244014521818

Abstract: This qualitative study explored resident and nonresident fathers’ perspectives about factors that facilitated and inhibited their ability to play a positive and active role in their children’s lives. A total of 30 fathers were recruited from a support/mentoring group and from the general population to complete a semi-structured, audio-taped interview. A content analysis revealed that both groups of fathers were committed to maintaining a relationship with their children, and that by being present, they protected their children, helped them emotionally and financially, helped in their overall development, acted as a role model, and shared parenting responsibilities with their children’s mothers. Factors that facilitated parenting for resident and nonresident fathers included receiving proper guidance about fathering, a positive mother−father relationship, support from family, and church. Inhibiting factors were more prevalent for nonresident fathers that included mothers obstructing the father−child relationship, negative views/remarks about them as fathers, father−child visitation that is contingent upon child support, and fathers’ financial difficulties. The findings suggest a need for coparenting counseling, faith-based interventions, and employment services to address the complex socio-economic challenges that fathers face.

Keywords: behavioral sciences; social sciences; sex & gender; sociology; social work; interpersonal communication; human communication; communication studies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:4:y:2014:i:1:p:2158244014521818

DOI: 10.1177/2158244014521818

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