Poster #129 - Fathering in Palestine

• In Event: 2-002 - Special Poster Session 05 with Continental Breakfast Reception
  In Poster Session: PS 05 - International Section

Integrative Statement

In previous decades of parenting studies fathering has become a burgeoning area of developmental research, with Lamb (2010) employing attachment theory to research the impact of paternal parenting behavior. Likewise, family systems theory has been considered to understand the role of parent gender and context for describing, explaining, and predicting family processes and well-being. This research has demonstrated that fathers have a significant, long-lasting, and direct effect on child development. In addition fathering has been shown to impact paternal well-being, as well as well-being impacting paternal behavior (van Gelderen-van Rijn et al., 2017).

Areas of conflict have consistently been shown to negatively impact parental well-being, parenting behavior, and child outcomes. This has been predicted based on the fact that conflict induces chronic stressors on the family unit and the individual within it. Conflict interrupts usual activities, and introduces real and perceived threats to welfare, safety, and family separation. The current study examines the well-being and parenting of fathers in Palestine. This is a fathering population where chronic minority and conflict stress has previously been noted (Batniji et al., 2009; Kondylis, 2010). Similarly Gokani et al., (2015) reported on fathers living in the West Bank, where 3 areas of fathering were found to be disrupted: provision, protection, and modelling.

In the current study regional areas of Palestine were included, to consider the varying levels of paternal involvement and paternal well-being. Fifty-four fathers residing in city, rural, or refugee camp areas of Palestine completed demographics and standardised measures of parental involvement, adapted from Pleck et al., (2010). Participating fathers reported uncertainty of work, and detention as ongoing stressors and factors impacting their enacting of preferred levels of paternal engagement. This reduced paternal involvement was associated with parenting quality and paternal reported child adjustment, and was most notably reported in camp areas. These results will be considered in light of interventions aimed at supporting living in areas of conflict.

Authors

• Ala Muwaket, Nottingham Trent University
  Presenting Author

• Kate Ellis-Davies, Nottingham Trent Univerisity & University of Cambridge
  Non-Presenting Author