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Public Perceptions About Father Involvement

Results of a Statewide Household Survey

Irene Luckey

Errol Bolden

Judith Whiting-Fickling

Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina

Katherine A. Lind

Institute of Public Affairs, University of South Carolina

This study of social norms regarding expectations of fathers describes public perceptions based on a statewide, random household telephone survey of 1,010 adults. The results indicate strong public support for communityexpectations about father’s time with child as communicated through workplace provision of paternal leave and flextime, although a majority of respondents had no such benefits. A majority of the respondents agreed that most fathers fulfill responsibilities in the areas of caregiving, financial support, protection, cooperation with the child’s mother, and moral or faith-based guidance. A large minority disagreed, particularly those who were in households with children where the father was not present and those who were divorced or separated. Responses varied by race, gender, and whether the respondent was actively parenting a child. The study affirms the complexity and diversity of social norms about fatherhood and the need to focus on subpopulations.

Key Words: fatherhood • public opinions about father involvement • social norms about family relations • parental responsibility • family gender roles

Journal of Family Issues, Vol. 25, No. 5, 603-633 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0192513X03258303


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