Father involvement is a protective factor for maternal mental health in Western Kenya

McCann, Juliet K.; Freire, Silvana; Ramos de Oliveira, Clariana Vitória; Ochieng, Michael; Jeong, Joshua

doi:10.1016/j.ssmmh.2024.100318

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 67 publications

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“…Fathers’ caregiving behaviors can encompass various types of activities, such as paternal play and communication, disciplinary practices, and involvement in other childcare and household activities (e.g., feeding children, preparing food, and cleaning the household) [ 7 ]. Fathers’ active engagement within families is not only beneficial for young children, but also associated with improved couples’ relationship outcomes, such as more equitable decision-making and reduced family violence, as well as improved maternal mental health [ 8 – 10 ]. Moreover, gender-transformative programs that sensitively engage both men and women to address harmful gender norms and relations while also promoting women’s empowerment, agency, and safety can improve both maternal and paternal caregiving and ultimately children’s health, nutrition, and developmental outcomes [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Good fathers”: Community perceptions of idealized fatherhood and reported fathering behaviors in Mwanza, Tanzania

Alsager,

McCann,

Bhojani

et al. 2024

PLOS Glob Public Health

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Globally, perceptions of idealized fatherhood have been expanding beyond men’s breadwinning roles to also value men’s engagement in nurturing care. While fathers’ caregiving behaviors are increasing, most childcare activities are still largely performed by mothers. In this study, we unpacked community members’ beliefs about the meaning of “good fathers” and explored the degree to which these values aligned with the main caregiving behaviors reported about fathers with young children under age 2 years in Mwanza, Tanzania. Qualitative data were collected as part of a broader formative research study for which we conducted in-depth interviews with 29 fathers, 23 mothers, 4 village leaders and 4 community health workers as well as 3 focus group discussions with fathers, 2 with mothers, and 6 with both fathers and mothers combined. For this secondary data analysis, we used a grounded theory approach combined with thematic content analysis to investigate the nature of fatherhood. We discovered four key ideals associated with “good fathers”: fathers as providers, nurturers, supportive partners, and authoritarians. The primary ideal of fathers as breadwinners was strongly aligned with the main reported practice of fathers trying hard to financially providing for their families. However, paternal behaviors reflecting ideals of fathers as nurturers and supportive partners were less practiced. Although ideals towards good fathers as authoritarian were least explicitly valued, many fathers were reported as engaging in controlling behaviors and using violence. The links between fatherhood ideals and behaviors was influenced by various factors, including poverty, men’s limited time availability at home, and restrictive gender norms. Overall, our results reveal some alignment but also inconsistencies between the ideal version of fatherhood and commonly reported paternal practices. These discrepancies highlight the need for further investigation into the underlying factors that both enable and constrain the links between fatherhood ideals and behaviors. Our study results have important implications for the design of interventions that seek to enhance fatherhood to improve the development and wellbeing of children and families.

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