Poster #170 - A Comprehensive Explanation of Fatherlessness and Barriers to Fathering: An Intergenerational Approach

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

One father remarked, “I wasn’t thinking that the child was mine” as the reason for not always being involved in his child’s life. This underscores the nature of fathering in the 21st century whereby there are fathers who are absent from their children’s lives for complex reasons (Roy, 2008), but also fathers who are taking on more responsibilities for their children as provider and caregiver (LaRossa, 1997). However, regardless of the reasons for fatherlessness and important contextual factors, researchers defined fatherlessness as the physical absence of biological fathers (Culpin, Melotti, & Joinson, 2013; Edin & Nelson, 2013). For example, fathering in families of African descent in the Americas is associated with enslavement and its aftermath, which negatively affected the role of fathers (Higman, 1976; Patterson, 1967).
Objectives. There are two primary objectives: (a) to explore the phenomenon of fatherlessness and how it is influenced by the challenges and barriers to fathering in the ecological context of Afro-Jamaican families, and (b) to examine fathers’ own construction of fatherlessness.
Methods. Thematic analysis (TA) methodology based on semi-structured interviews was used to explore the perspectives of 24 Afro-Jamaican fathers. Thematic analysis was guided by the social constructionist and bioecological perspectives. Themes were identified deductively and inductively based on the step-by-step recommendations of several scholars (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Joffe, 2012) which were combined into eight sequential steps.
Results and conclusions. In constructing fatherlessness, these fathers emphasized the quality of the father–child relationships and levels of father involvement, including behavioral, affective, cognitive, and spiritual involvement. The fathers’ construction of fatherlessness generated five themes: (a) absence of fathering, (b) physical absence, (c) inadequate fathering, (d) detachment from father, and (e) separation from biological father. These themes positioned fatherlessness as opposite to fathering. Some fathers revealed that they were not always involved in at least one of their children’s lives for reasons such as: (a) paternity related issues, (b) issues with child’s mother, (c) issues with the law, and (d) physical distance. Additionally, children may experience various levels of fatherlessness due to the challenges and barriers that fathers encountered as biological and/or social fathers. These challenges and barriers mapped onto seven themes: (a) lack of resources, (b) child-related issues), (c) partner-related issues, (d) time constraints, (e) work-related issues, (f) environmental challenges, and (g) cognitive pressures.
The present study provides new insights into the phenomenon of fatherlessness and factors that influence intergenerational transmission. These Afro-Jamaican fathers provided a multidimensional, multifaceted conceptualization of fatherlessness which contrasts with the literature that focuses on family structure (see McLanahan et al., 2013). Also, fathers face economic, social, and psychological barriers that may influence intergenerational transmission of fatherlessness. However, there is a need to move beyond dichotomies toward a more nuanced view of father involvement among nonresident fathers as well as greater acknowledgement of the role of social fathers.
Implications for practice/policy. Caution should be exercised when assigning the label of fatherless. Also, the claim that fatherlessness is the primary reason for many social ills (Blankenhorn, 1995) should be re-examined.

Authors

• David S Green, University of Guelph
  Presenting Author

• Susan Chuang, University of Guelph
  Non-Presenting Author

• David Este, University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ross D. Parke, University of California, Riverside
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laura Aguiar, University of Guelph
  Non-Presenting Author