Exploring Correlates and Intervention Programs That Can Improve Father Involvement Among Low-Income Families: A Systematic Literature Review
Author | : Douglas Louis Tu |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 86 |
Release | : 2018 |
ISBN-10 | : 1369844743 |
ISBN-13 | : 9781369844740 |
Rating | : 4/5 (43 Downloads) |
The purpose of this project is to analyze the current body of literature that exists on father involvement. The National Fatherhood Initiative has stated that as of 2014, about 17 million children live without fathers. This thesis consists of two literature reviews drawn from scholarly articles pulled from online databases. The first asks among low-income fathers, both resident and nonresident, which factors or correlates are associated with levels of father involvement? The second asks what effect do father-focused interventions, in comparison to co-parenting interventions and marriage interventions, have on father involvement in low-income families? It was found that the most prevalent correlates associated with involvement include the father's relationship to the child's mother, his relationship with his own father, culture, gender and substance abuse. Additionally, the current research on interventions has typically fallen under one of the following categories: father-focused, co-parenting or marriage. Interventions that were the most successful in increasing the father's level of involvement either improved his relationship with his child's mother or connected him with an educator, caseworker or social service. This project provides a foundation for future researchers by highlighting the gaps in the current literature as well providing recommendations for future studies.