Rob Palkovitz

Why the “Good Provider” Role Still Matters Providing as a Form of Paternal Involvement

Providing as a form of paternal involvement is not readily acknowledged in contemporary fatherhood literature. Providing is often overlooked because it is taken for granted, is invisible to the family, holds negative connotations, and is inadequately conceptualized. This article expands paternal involvement to include economic provision. Providing as a form of paternal involvement is considered as it affects father, child, and family well-being. In conclusion, practice and policy implications related to an expanded view of economic provision and paternal involvement are shared.

The Inventory of Father Involvement: A Pilot Study of a New Measure of Father Involvement

As the study of fathering has matured in recent years, fathering scholars have recognized the need for richer, broader measures of the construct of father involvement (Hawkins & Palkovitz, 1999). In an effort to create a measure sensitive to affective, cognitive, and direct and indirect behavioral components of involvement, 100 items were initially generated. Of these, 43 were selected for the “Inventory of Father Involvement” (IFI). Fathers (N = 723) reported on “how good a job” they were doing on the 43 indicators of father involvement. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded nine relatively distinct first-order factors, indicating a single, global second-order factor of father involvement. The final model confirms a shorter, 26-item version of the IFI that reflects a multi-dimensional concept of father involvement.

Beyond Ticks and Clicks: The Need for More Diverse and Broader Conceptualizations and Measures of Father Involvement

Father involvement has been conceptualized and measured primarily as a temporal and directly observable phenomenon. This paper describes the problems associated with this narrow conceptualization and argues for the need to explore broader, more diverse, and inclusive conceptualizations and measures of father involvement. We review nascent, recent scholarship that supports this assertion, outline ways to improve conceptualization and measurement, and specify the benefits that would flow from this effort.

Timing of Fatherhood: Is "On-Time" Optimal?

Paternal involvement with children has received increased attention, yet the factors that influence variation in involvement remain largely unidentified. This analysis of fathers from a nationally representative sample explores the relationship between timing of fatherhood and mens parenting behavior and parental affect. Multivariate analyses reveal no effects of timing on these outcomes when considered separately. Yet, differences are found on a multidimensional typology of paternal behavior and affect. Compared to on-time fathers, late fathers are more likely to be classified as highly involved with positive paternal affect. The results call into question the notion that on-time transitions are optimal. Explanation for the findings are framed in terms of competing role and the accumulation of psychological ressources.

“It's Like... You Discover a New Sense of Being” Involved Fathering as an Evoker of Adult Development

This qualitative study of forty men from a wide range of family contexts examines the relationships between fathering and mens early adult development. Through assuming responsibility for fathering and continued involvement in child rearing, the fathers in this study perceived significant changes in their life course and personalities. Modes of change, while pervasive and profound, varied along divergent paths. One path characterized engagement in fathering as bringing a “jolt” to the life course. Substantive, but less dramatic changes were perceived by a second group of men who characterized father involvement as a “gentle evoker” of latent personality traits. A majority of men saw fatherhood as the single greatest shaper of their lives. As such, the study offers empirical support to the theoretically and anecdotally based idea that fathering alters the course of adult male development.

The Relationship between Expressions of Spiritual Faith and Parental Involvement in Three Groups of Fathers

This study explores the relationship between spiritual faith and parental involvement in three groups of fathers: evangelical Christians, Latter-day Saints, and fathers for whom faith is not central. Results indicate that all fathers were highly involved, and none of the three groups reported significantly greater involvement with their children than the others. However, fathers who were church members, regardless of affiliation with a spiritual faith group, were more involved than non-church members. In addition, fathers who were currently married for the first time were both more involved with their children and more active in their faith than their peers. This paper presents interpretations of the findings and suggestions for future research.

Mediators of the Relationship Between Stable Nonresident Households and Toddler Outcomes

The present study examined the associations between stable nonresidence among never married parents (compared with coresident parents) and outcomes for toddlers using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey–Birth Cohort. The authors found small to medium negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ positive social behavior and small negative associations between stable nonresidence and toddlers’ cognition. The associations between stable nonresidence and positive social behavior and cognition were explained by mothers’ supportiveness during interactions with the child. The findings suggest that toddlers in stable nonresident families are at greater risk for lowered school readiness because of diminished quality of maternal interactions with the child. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

Longitudinal Associations Between Mothers’ Perceptions of Nonresidential Fathers’ Investment of Resources and Influence in Decision-Making.

Nonresidential fathers are challenged to remain involved with their children across time in both direct and indirect ways, including influencing decision-making around important issues such as school attendance and medical care. An analytic sample of 1,350 families with residential mothers and nonresidential fathers was selected from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) to examine the longitudinal relationships between mothers’ reports of nonresidential fathers’ influence in decision-making and their provision of resources to their children. Findings indicate that fathers’ voluntary contribution of tangible resources (informal child support, caregiving time) when children are 2 years old positively predict fathers’ influence in decision-making regarding the care of their 4-year-old children. Fathers’ early formal child support is not related to later decision-making. Fathers’ communication with mother about the child at 24 months is related to later decision-making among daughters but not sons. Fathers’ early decision-making is longitudinally related to later informal child support, caregiving time, and coparenting communication. The findings support the utility of a resource theory of fathering for understanding and predicting observed patterns of father involvement.

Loving God, Loving Others: The Sacred Among American Mainline Protestant Families

Abstract Quantitative research suggests a link between religion and increased relationship commitment, satisfaction, and quality in marriages and parenting. Less is known about the processes and meaning-making experiences of religious individuals and families and how or why such processes exist and function with a family context. Using in-depth qualitative interviews, 20 Mainline Protestant families (N = 47 individuals; 20 mothers, 20 fathers, and 7 youth) were examined. Major findings revealed that intra-personal sanctification (i.e., sacred relationship with God) influenced inter-personal sanctification (i.e., sacred relationships with others), across three domains: general life strengths, as well as marital and parent-child strengths. Additional findings suggested that sacred beliefs and religious practices were utilized for receiving support from God, a framework of purpose, increased unity between spouses and parent–child dyads.