Exploring Fathering Roles in Low-Income Families: The Influence of Intergenerational Transmission

This study explores the meaning of fathering among men identified as fathers or father figures of 24-month-old children enrolled in Early Head Start research sites. Fathers were asked open-ended questions about their experiences of being fathers and their relationships with their own fathers. These men spoke of how important “being there” was for them in their relationship with their child as well as how the relationship with their own fathers influenced them as a parent. This study supports the theory of intergenerational parenting and furthers our knowledge and understanding of what some men feel are important aspects of being a good father. A theoretical framework on why men may model their father’s behaviors is offered, as are implications for practitioners. fatherhood research using data collected from the mothers, on mothers’ reporting of fathers’ attitudes and behavior, and on mothers’ reports of the quality of the relationships fathers had with their children. Tanfer & Mott (1997) reported that much of what is known about fathers was obtained from mothers’ reports. They suggested that there is a need for new data collection efforts that focus specifically and systematically on fatherhood issues using extensive reports from fathers. In addition to collecting data from probability samples and utilizing a longitudinal design, it was also deemed important to sample non-White and non-middle-class, low-income families. They said that it is essential that such surveys include the collection of attitudinal information on a continuous basis, given the sensitivity of attitudes to life cycle events. They further suggested that small, nonprobability samples or convenience samples are also important. The results of such studies may be useful for hypothesis testing, measurement development, and exploratory work. As a result, a qualitative ethnographic study that consists of fathers from various locations nationally may enhance our understanding of the diverse meanings of fatherhood and formulation of sound conceptualization and measurement of many dimensions of fatherhood. Cherlin and Griffith (1998) suggest that there are several concerns regarding the quality and utility of information obtained from mothers about the role of fathers in children’s lives. Many studies currently ask both mothers and fathers the same questions on parenting surveys because researchers are not yet certain what to ask fathers and because studies have not yet pointed to any distinctive understanding of fathers’ roles. Given the research issues in some of the previously mentioned fathering research, there is a need to continue to examine various fathers’ experiences. This article adds to existing literature by exploring fathers’ responses to open-ended questions in a national Early Head Start study regarding their fathering experiences and experiences with their own fathers. This exploratory study is intended to contribute to developing hypotheses about how men in low-income families from various regions in the United States see their roles as fathers and how their roles are shaped by their experiences as sons and with others in their social context.