Journal of Family Issues RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

Advice When Children Come Out: The Cultural "Tool Kits" of Parents

Martin, K. A., Hutson, D. J., Kazyak, E., Scherrer, K. S. — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:14:30 PST

The family is one of the main areas of social life where the normalization of gay and lesbian identity is incomplete. Most research analyzes the individual and psychological aspects of how families respond to children’s disclosure of a gay or lesbian identity and ignores the social, cultural, and historical contexts. An examination of the cultural discourses, tools, and strategies that are available to parents is necessary for a full understanding of how families respond to gay and lesbian children. The authors conduct an interpretive content analysis of 29 advice books to assess this cultural field and its institutional resources. They find three broad strategies offered to parents: relying on professionals for overcoming the grief of having a gay or lesbian child, normalizing gay and lesbian identity, and using "good" parenting skills. This article discusses how these strategies demonstrate the unsettled and often contradictory cultural field of gay and lesbian identity in the family and its implications for sexual identities beyond the closet.

Parental Concerns About After-School Time: Antecedents and Correlates Among Dual-Earner Parents

Barnett, R. C., Gareis, K. C., Sabattini, L., Carter, N. M. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:17:41 PST

Most employed parents, many in dual-earner couples, are at work when their children get out of school, generating parental concerns about children’s welfare after school. Parental concerns are hypothesized to be related to respondent and partner work hours, respondent schedule control, and child’s unsupervised time and to give rise to job disruptions. The authors examine these links and the moderating effect of parent gender in a sample of 936 parents (310 men, 626 women) in full-time employed dual-earner couples with a school-aged (K-12) child. Parents’ long work hours, lack of schedule control, and children’s time unsupervised after school predicted high parental concerns, and parental concerns, in turn, predicted job disruptions. With one exception, results did not differ by gender.

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Residential Stability, and Perceptions of Instrumental Support Among New Mothers

Turney, K., Harknett, K. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:42:25 PST

Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing survey (N = 4,211), this study examines neighborhood disadvantage and perceptions of instrumental support among mothers with young children. The authors find that (a) living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with less instrumental support, particularly financial assistance, from family and friends; (b) residential stability is associated with stronger personal safety nets irrespective of neighborhood quality; and (c) mothers who move to a more disadvantaged neighborhood experience a small but significant decline in perceived instrumental support compared with those who do not move. In interpreting these results, the authors suggest instrumental support may be either a cause or consequence of living in an advantaged neighborhood, but in either case, neighborhood and social network disadvantages go hand in hand.

Women's Marital Naming Choices in a Nationally Representative Sample

Gooding, G. E., Kreider, R. M. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:42:26 PST

We explore women’s marital naming choices using the 2004 American Community Survey (ACS). Six percent of native-born married women have nonconventional surnames. Nonconventional surnames include hyphenated surnames, two surnames, and women who kept their own surname at marriage. Characteristics associated with nonconventional surname use include younger age, being other than White non-Hispanic, a large age difference between spouses, and higher educational attainment. Women with a master’s degree have odds of using a nonconventional surname that are 2.8 times higher than those who have less than a bachelor’s degree, whereas women with a professional degree have odds that are 5.0 times higher,and women with a doctorate have odds 9.8 times those with less than a bachelor’s degree.

Poverty, Race, and Parental Involvement During the Transition to Elementary School

Cooper, C. E., Crosnoe, R., Suizzo, M.-A., Pituch, K. A. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:12:07 PST

Using multilevel models of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (N = 20,356), the authors find that parental involvement in education partially mediates the association between family poverty and children’s math and reading achievement in kindergarten, but differences exist across race. In Asian families, poor and nonpoor children have similar levels of achievement. Poverty is not related to Black children’s participation in organized activities, but these activities are not associated with Black children’s achievement. Home-learning activities predict reading achievement in Hispanic families only. The findings provide support for application of the family process model to educational outcomes during the transition to elementary school and underscore the need to examine developmental models across racial subsets of the population.

Early Family Formation Among White, Black, and Mexican American Women

Landale, N. S., Schoen, R., Daniels, K. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:12:07 PST

Using data from Waves I and III of Add Health, this study examines early family formation among 6,144 White,Black,and Mexican American women. Drawing on cultural and structural perspectives, models of the first and second family transitions (cohabitation, marriage, or childbearing) are estimated using discrete-time multinomial logistic regression. Complex differences by race and ethnicity and generation are partially explained by differences in attitudes and values in adolescence and family socioeconomic status; marriage values are especially important in first-generation Mexican women’s early entry into marriage. Examination of sequential family transitions sheds light on racial and ethnic differences in the meaning and consequences of early cohabitation and pre-union births.

Father Residence and Adolescent Problem Behavior: Are Youth Always Better Off in Two-Parent Families?

Booth, A., Scott, M. E., King, V. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:36:31 PDT

This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine combinations of father residence and closeness, which have received minimal examination but involve significant numbers of children. The findings lead to a number of conclusions. First, adolescents who are close to their nonresident fathers report higher self-esteem, less delinquency, and fewer depressive symptoms than adolescents who live with a father with whom they are not close. Second, adolescents living with a father with whom they are not close have better grades and engage in and less substance use than those having a nonresident father who is not close. At the same time, however, not being close to a resident father is associated with lower self-esteem compared to having a nonresident father who is not close. Third, adolescents do best of all when they have close ties to resident fathers. A central conclusion of this study is that it is important to consider the quality of father–child relations among those who have a resident father when assessing the impact of nonresident fathers on their children.

Economic Hardship and Adaptation Among Asian American Families

Ishii-Kuntz, M., Gomel, J. N., Tinsley, B. J., Parke, R. D. — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:35:53 PDT

Asian American families are often portrayed as affluent, having achieved a high level of education and occupational prestige. Despite this model-minority image, many Asian Americans suffer from economic hardship. Using a sample of 95 Asian Americans, this study examines the effect of perceived economic hardship on coping behavior, family relations, family roles, and psychological well-being among members of this understudied minority population. Findings indicate that family roles and psychological well-being of Asian Americans are directly influenced by their perception of economic distress. However, coping behaviors do not necessarily mediate these relationships. These findings are discussed in light of a conceptual model, and future directions for research are suggested.

Single Mothers, Single Fathers: Gender Differences in Fertility After a Nonmarital Birth

Guzzo, K. B., Hayford, S. R. — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:37:37 PDT

Research on nonmarital fertility has focused almost exclusively on unmarried mothers, due in part to a lack of fertility information for men. Cycle 6 of the National Survey of Family Growth allows exploration of nonmarital fertility for both genders. The authors compare the characteristics of unmarried firsttime mothers (n = 2,455) and fathers (n = 797), use event history techniques to model second-birth hazards, and examine the distribution of men’s and women’s second births across types of relationships. The authors’ analysis is motivated by questions about how selection into nonmarital fertility relates to subsequent fertility behavior and by theories of mate selection and the "relationship" market. The authors found that unmarried mothers are more likely to have a second birth than unmarried fathers, driven largely by a higher hazard of having a noncoresidential second birth.

Relational Harmony: A New Model of Collectivism and Gender Equality Among Chinese American Couples

Quek, K. M.-T., Knudson-Martin, C., Rue, D., Alabiso, C. — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:03:10 PDT

Social harmony is a valued relational rule in collectivism. Using data from in-depth interviews with 20 Chinese American couples, the authors study how husbands and wives interpret and negotiate marital harmony within a multicultural context and how gender relates to this process. Although all participants appear to seek harmony, the result indicates two quite different forms. Structural harmony is based on traditional social norms that emphasize obligation to the whole. Relational harmony is "we-centered" and prioritizes the marriage relationship itself. Not all couples fall neatly in either category; couples in transition experience a push-and-pull process between the multiple influences in their lives. These tensions are explored through six dimensions: (a) conflict between relational and structural goals, (b) communal versus dyadic obligation, (c) unclear authority structure, (d) intersection of family and workplace, (e) harmonizing multiple voices, and (f) incorporating personal agency. Implications for research and practice are addressed.

Children's Home Environments in Great Britain and the United States

Campbell, L. A., Parcel, T. L. — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:07:45 PDT

This study analyzes the effects of human, social, and financial capital on children’s home environments in the United States and Great Britain by comparing a sample of 5- to 13-year-old children from the United States with a similar sample from Britain. In both countries, the authors find weaker home environments for boys, minority children, and those with more siblings. Parental education and maternal cognitive ability are linked to stronger home environments. The effects of family structure, maternal school track, grandparents’ education, and paternal work vary by society. The authors conclude that parents are important in both societies and that evidence for the notion that the more developed welfare state in Britain may substitute for capital at home in promoting children’s home environments is weak.

Maternal Influences on Asian American--Pacific Islander Adolescents' Perceived Maternal Sexual Expectations and Their Sexual Initiation

Kao, T.-S. A., Loveland-Cherry, C., Guthrie, B. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:43:36 PDT

Maternal influences on adolescents’ sexual initiation have been examined over two time points in 433 Asian American–Pacific Islander (AAPI) adolescents in a secondary analysis of the Add Health data set using structural equation modeling. A longitudinal model built on a preliminary qualitative study is used to examine the fit between data and model. Maternal perceived connectedness and adolescents’ perceived maternal sexual expectations in sexual timing are found to be protective for delaying AAPI adolescents’ sexual initiation. Unexpectedly, mothers’ perceptions of sexual discussion are not protective for delaying adolescents’ sexual initiation. The results suggest interventions should focus on promoting AAPI mothers’ perceptions of connectedness with their adolescents and adolescents’ perceptions of their mothers’ sexual expectations (as measured by adolescents’ perceived maternal disapproval attitudes and affects) in delaying sexual initiation.

Power, Resistance, and Emotional Economies in Women's Relationships With Mothers-in-Law in Chinese Immigrant Families

Shih, K. Y., Pyke, K. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:43:37 PDT

This interview study interrogates how cultural values of filial piety inform Chinese American daughters-in-law’s understanding of their relationship and power dynamics with immigrant Chinese American mothers-in-law. Ideals of filial respect accord limited authority to mothers-in-law, who engage other mechanisms of power, such as their domestic expertise. Using the concept of emotional economies, this study finds that this strategy works when daughters-in-law feel gratitude for their mother-in-law’s domestic expertise and child care but not when they resent it as intrusive or unnecessary. Mothers report more conflicts with their mothers-in-law than do childless respondents, and often strike "patriarchal bargains" by enlisting husbands to mediate conflicts on their behalf. Many respondents covertly resist by feigning compliance in the presence of their mother-in-law but disobeying in her absence. These findings suggest scholars should not assume Asian cultural ideals dictate actual family practices or that ritualistic displays of deference indicate powerlessness.

Blurring Racial and Ethnic Boundaries in Asian American Families: Asian American Family Patterns, 1980-2005

Hidalgo, D. A., Bankston, C. L. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:43:37 PDT

In this work, the authors use statistics from the U.S. Census to examine trends in intermarriage, racial and ethnic combinations, and categorizations among Asian Americans. Specifically, the authors want to consider the extent to which family patterns may contribute to Asian Americans and their descendants’ continuing as distinct, becoming members of some new category or categories, or simply becoming White. Based on the data analysis and discussion, it seems most likely that Whiteness will increasingly depend on the situation: Where there are Asians, Whites, and Blacks, Asians will tend to become White. Where there are only Whites, Asians, including even those of multiracial background, may well continue to be distinguished. Yet people in mixed families will be continually crossing all racial and ethnic lines in the United States, and their numbers will steadily increase.

Family Structure, Family Processes, and Well-Being Among Asian Americans: Considering Gender and Nativity

Walton, E., Takeuchi, D. T. — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:43:37 PDT

This article examines how facets of family structure and processes are linked to self-rated health and psychological distress in a national sample of Asian Americans. The authors find little support for well-established theories predicting the effects of family structure. Marital status does not affect self-rated health and has limited effects on psychological distress. The only effects of family composition are evident among men and the U.S.-born, where the presence of extended family in the home is related to lower levels of psychological distress. The authors find important gender and nativity differences in the effects of family cohesion, which protect the physical and psychological well-being of women and the U.S.-born but not men or foreign-born individuals. Findings suggest that the effects of family structure and processes on well-being are not universal. Family studies among Asian Americans that do not account for gender and nativity differences may be overlooking underlying complexity.

Occupation and Industry Sex Segregation, Gender, and Workplace Support: The Use of Flexible Scheduling Policies

Minnotte, K. L., Cook, A., Minnotte, M. C. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:29:16 PDT

This study examines how industry and occupation sex segregation are related to the use of flexible scheduling policies and perceptions of the career repercussions of using such policies. The analysis is performed on data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 2,810). Findings suggest that the percentage of women per industry and occupation increase the likelihood of using flexible scheduling; however, the effect is not cumulative. The results show that organization family support interacts with gender and the sex composition of the industry in predicting use of flexible scheduling. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the relationship between the extent of sex segregation and perceptions of the career repercussions of using policies is complicated with a three-way interaction of percentage women per industry, percentage women per occupation, and gender. These patterns are discussed in further detail along with implications of the study.

Gender Distrust and Intimate Unions Among Low-Income Hispanic and African American Women

Estacion, A., Cherlin, A. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:29:17 PDT

This article investigates levels of generalized distrust of men among low-income non-Hispanic African American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican and non-Hispanic White women in a three-city survey.The results reveal substantial variation. Hispanics’ overall levels of distrust are found to be higher than levels for either African Americans or Whites.Among Hispanics, however, Dominicans are the most distrusting group followed by Puerto Ricans, whereas Mexicans report levels of distrust that are comparable to those of non-Hispanic African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites. Married women are less distrusting than cohabiting women, who in turn are less distrusting than noncohabiting women. Nevertheless, distrust is not a significant predictor of a woman’s total number of lifetime marital and cohabiting relationships, and distrust only marginally predicts a woman’s desire to be in a steady relationship.We suggest that studies of trust in this population should focus more on attitudes displayed in specific encounters than on overall, generalized attitudes about gender distrust.

Ethnic Variations in the Connection Between Work-Induced Family Separation and Turnover Intent

Behnke, A. O., MacDermid, S. M., Anderson, J. C., Weiss, H. M. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:03:57 PDT

Using conservation of resources theory, this study examines the role of resources in the relationship between work-induced family separation and workers’ intentions to leave their employment and how these relationships vary across ethnic groups. Analyses of a large representative sample of military members reveal that family separation is significantly related to intent to leave the military and that this relationship is partially mediated by resources for all ethnic groups. Work- and family-related resources are the most strongly related to both separation and turnover for all ethnic groups, but significant ethnic variations are found for most paths in the model. Results are discussed in terms of applications inside and outside the military and potential implications for conservation of resources theory.

Who Has the Time? The Relationship Between Household Labor Time and Sexual Frequency

Gager, C. T., Yabiku, S. T. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:03:56 PDT

Motivated by the trend of women spending more time in paid labor and the general speedup of everyday life, the authors explore whether the resulting time crunch affects sexual frequency among married couples. Although prior research has examined the associations between relationship quality and household labor time, few have examined a dimension of relationship quality that requires time: sexual frequency. This study tests three hypotheses based on time availability, gender ideology, and a new multiple-spheres perspective using the National Survey of Families and Households. The results contradict the hypothesis that time spent on household labor reduces the opportunity for sex. The authors find support for the multiple-spheres hypothesis suggesting that both women and men who "work hard" also "play hard." Results show that wives and husbands who spend more hours in housework and paid work report more frequent sex.

Risk and Protective Factors for Psychological Adjustment Among Low-Income, African American Children

Gabalda, M. K., Thompson, M. P., Kaslow, N. J. — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:33:45 PDT

This investigation identifies unique risk and protective factors for internalizing and externalizing problems among 8- to 12-year-old, low-income, African American children and tests cumulative risk and protective models. A total of 152 mother–child dyads complete questionnaires. Receipt of food stamps, mother’s distress, and child maltreatment increase children’s risk for internalizing and externalizing problems and family functioning (adaptability, cohesion), and after-school program participation (externalizing only) are protective against internalizing and externalizing problems. A cumulative risk model reveals that compared with youth with no risk factors, having one risk factor confers three- and fivefold risk for internalizing and externalizing symptoms, respectively. Having two or three risk factors confers 12 and 19 times greater risk for internalizing and externalizing symptoms, respectively. Compared with no protective factors, youth with two protective factors are 4 and 6 times less likely to display internalizing and externalizing problems, respectively. Implications for community-based preventive intervention efforts and future research are discussed.

Head Start Fathers' Involvement With Their Children

Gorvine, B. J. — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:57:15 PDT

Until recently, fathers have been underexamined relative to mothers in research on parenting. Fathers in poverty, as well as stepfathers and nonresidential fathers, have been a particularly understudied group. This study explores Head Start fathers’ involvement with their children. Fathers are defined to include stepfathers as well as nonresidential fathers. Seventy-eight mothers have been interviewed about fathers’ involvement with their children. Mothers generally perceive a modest extent of fathers’ involvement but also report high levels of children’s satisfaction with fathers’ emotional support. Mothers generally report a higher extent of involvement for residential fathers than for nonresidential fathers and report higher levels of interaction for stepfathers than for biological fathers. Mothers consistently report that both residential biological fathers and residential stepfathers are more involved than nonresidential biological fathers.The findings suggest the importance of continuing to gather data that looks at both residential and nonresidential fathers as well as biological fathers and stepfathers.

"I Thought My Heart Would Burst": The Role of Ultrasound Technology on Expectant Grandmotherhood

Harpel, T. S., Hertzog, J. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:24:17 PDT

Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this study investigates the role of ultrasound technology on feelings of attachment and emotions experienced by expectant grandmothers. A total of 109 expectant grandmothers complete the 84-question Web-based survey. A 12-item scale is used to assess the impact of ultrasound on attachment. As expected, participants who attend the ultrasound exam are more likely than those who merely see pictures or video to report that the ultrasound increased their feelings of attachment. In addition, the results suggest that there is a small but significant negative relationship between number of grandchildren and feelings of attachment. Content analysis of open-ended questions reveal that ultrasound technology is an exciting, bonding experience that makes the fetus more real and produces feelings of awe and pride. Results are discussed in terms of their similarity to those found among expectant mothers and fathers, as well as implications for medical protocol.

Reciprocity in Intergenerational Support: A Comparison of Chinese and German Adult Daughters

Schwarz, B., Trommsdorff, G., Zheng, G., Shi, S. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:24:18 PDT

This study investigates how Chinese and German adult daughters evaluate the norm of reciprocity and the unbalanced exchange of support in relation to their aging parents. Women from rural and urban China (n = 292) and from Germany (n = 264) have participated in this study. Results show that for the German daughters, differently from rural Chinese daughters, perception of imbalance is strongly related to their intention to support their elderly parents. The results for the urban Chinese daughters are closer to those of the German sample than those of the rural Chinese daughters. The results are discussed in light of theoretical approaches to intergenerational relations taking into account the Confucian concept of filial piety and influences of social change.

Adolescents With Two Nonresident Biological Parents: Living Arrangements, Parental Involvement, and Well-Being

King, V., Stamps, K. C., Hawkins, D. N. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:13:53 PDT

We know little about children who have two living nonresident biological parents. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines the diverse living arrangements of U.S. adolescents in this situation, the kinds of relationships they have with each of their nonresident parents, and how these living arrangements are associated with adolescent well-being. Differences between these adolescents (n = 502) and those who have one nonresident biological parent ( n = 4,746) are also examined. Results point to certain groups of adolescents with two nonresident parents who are at particular risk of exhibiting higher levels of behavior problems (those living alone or with an aunt and uncle) or who, alternatively, are faring comparatively better (those living with biological relative caregivers or two nonbiological parent figures).

A Critical Analysis of Western Perspectives on Families of Arab Descent

Beitin, B. K., Allen, K. R., Bekheet, M. — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:25:25 PDT

Western research on families of Arab descent has increased in the current decade, compared to the previous 30 years. In this review of 256 empirical articles, through a critical postcolonial lens, domestic violence and family planning were the two most established areas of study. Generally, samples have come from a small group of countries such as Israel and Egypt, using primarily quantitative methodology. Theoretical development is limited in scope. Recommendations include a research agenda that is grounded in interdisciplinary and cross-national family theory and is informed by the perspectives of multiple family members.

Economic Pressure and Marital Conflict in Retirement-Aged Couples

Dew, J., Yorgason, J. — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:25:24 PDT

Tests of the relationship between economic difficulties and marital distress have generally excluded retirement-aged couples. Given the aging U.S. population and the upcoming retirement of the baby boom cohort, this research gap is problematic. To rectify this omission, this study uses longitudinal data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH; N = 3,853) and assesses whether the family stress model operates differently for three retirement-aged groups of couples (one group that retired before the study, one that retired during the study, and one group of retirement-aged couples that did not retire during the study) and a comparison group of younger couples. The family stress model did not operate for married couples that began the NSFH already retired but did operate for the two other retirement-aged couples. The authors discuss the potential mechanisms behind these findings and the implications for the upcoming retirement of the baby boom cohort.

Time-for-Money Exchanges Between Older and Younger Generations in Swedish Families

Lennartsson, C., Silverstein, M., Fritzell, J. — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:25:25 PDT

Despite the maturation of welfare states, family solidarity continues to be strong and a growing body of research has shown that substantial financial transfers are passed from older to younger generations within the family. At the same time, family solidarity in terms of instrumental and social support is found to be mutual. This study examines eventual reciprocity in time-for-money exchanges, by combining two large-scale Swedish representative longitudinal studies. It analyzes how earlier social contacts (time) are related to financial transfers (money) and to what extent social class and gender differentials are visible. The findings indicate that parents provide economic transfers if they have more frequent social contact with any of their children, and that these time investments pay off for children who were of higher social class origins. In contrast, no support for gender-specific patterns is found. In conclusion,family solidarity seems to have different bases in different social strata.

Factors Associated With Unmarried, Nonresident Fathers' Perceptions of Their Coparenting

Bronte-Tinkew, J., Horowitz, A. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:31:05 PDT

Using a longitudinal sample of 522 biological, never-married, nonresident fathers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article examines the factors associated with fathers’ coparenting 36 months after a birth. Ordinary least squares regression models indicate never-married, nonresident fathers are less likely to perceive high coparental supportiveness if they have ever been incarcerated, if they have completed high school, if they have a greater number of children with the child’s mother, if the mother has lower levels of education, if they are not in a relationship with the focal child’s mother,if they have a new partner,and if they see their child more frequently. In contrast, more supportive coparental relationships are perceived among fathers with higher incomes, with higher education, who are employed, with a male child, and who provide informal support. This study provides continuing evidence that several aspects of nonresident men’s lives have important influences on their coparenting.

Exploring the Role of Filipino Fathers: Paternal Behaviors and Child Outcomes

Harper, S. E. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:31:06 PDT

Using data collected from an urban Southern Visayan province during the Summer of 2006, this study examines a sample of 133 Filipino fathers to consider potential relationships between father behaviors and child outcomes. Increased paternal psychological control predicts increased problematic child outcomes, with sons being more affected than daughters. Furthermore, increased authoritative fathering is associated with decreased externalizing problems of children as well as fewer internalizing problems for sons but not for daughters. Increased father involvement predicts improved sibling relationship quality for children. Other factors predicting problematic child outcomes in the overall regression model include father education and number of children in the household. Overall, findings support the idea that Filipino fathers play a valuable role in the lives of their children.

Fatherhood and Men's Lives at Middle Age

Eggebeen, D. J., Dew, J., Knoester, C. — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:59:56 PDT

This article uses data on 2,024 men who were followed through the third wave of the National Survey of Families and Households to examine the implications of fatherhood experiences for men’s involvement in altruistic social activities at middle age.We find that middle-aged men (ages 45-65) who at some point in their lives become fathers are significantly more likely to have altruistically oriented social relationships and be involved in service organizations compared with men who have never become fathers. Furthermore, it appears that the defining aspect of the effect of fatherhood is the level of engagement with children while they are growing up. Neither current residential status nor whether current nonresidence occurs because of nest leaving is found to distinguish men’s altruistic ties.

Aggravation and Stress in Parenting: Associations with Coparenting and Father Engagement Among Resident Fathers

Bronte-Tinkew, J., Horowitz, A., Carrano, J. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:43:28 PDT

This study uses a sample of 2,139 resident biological fathers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing surveys (baseline and 12-month follow-up), to examine whether paternal aggravation and stress in parenting is associated with father engagement and coparenting and whether this association differs by father’s socioeconomic status. Results of Ordinary Least Squares regression models indicate that paternal aggravation and stress in parenting is significantly associated with lower levels of father engagement and with less supportive coparenting relationships (controlling for mothers’ aggravation and stress in parenting). Findings also indicate a more negative association between paternal aggravation/stress in parenting and father engagement and coparenting for fathers with household incomes below the poverty threshold. Findings suggest that policies aimed at decreasing parenting stress may be especially beneficial to fathers living in poor families.