Fathers’ Experiences after their Exposure to a Fatherhood Intervention Programme

Abstract

Fatherhood intervention programmes seek to redress fundamental issues that prevent men from succeeding in their fathering role. An understanding and evidence of the influence of fatherhood interventions on the role of the father in the family are thus required. This study, conducted in South Africa, explored the perceptions and experiences of fathers and their partners after the fathers’ exposure to a fatherhood intervention programme. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was utilised to this end. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and three main themes emerged from the analysis. The study found that fathers and their partners perceived and experienced the fathers to be more involved, responsible, and sharing in parenthood after exposure to the fatherhood intervention programme. This led to an increase of father involvement with children – childcare activities, schoolwork, the well-being of the children, and an increase in involvement in the home.

Navigating relationship dynamics, pregnancy and fatherhood in the Bukhali trial: a qualitative study with men in Soweto, South Africa

“…And not to stress her, ja." (10) "I was short tempered with her at a point and then end up not picking up her phone calls cause I thought maybe she was making a fool out of me because she would make me leave the house like maybe at night and say her tummy is sore and that I must come rub it and then only to nd that when I get there she's ne and all she wants is to spend a bit of time with me at home." (17) Providing support during pregnancy…”

“…"during pregnancy you need to calm down, you calm down because like your women she is going to go through like stress." (10) "But being there for her come, it gave her strength that through pregnancy, through the pains that she went through things became easier because I was there to encourage her and support… But being there for her come, it gave her strength that through pregnancy, through the pains that she went through things became easier because I was there to encourage her and support." (7) For some participants, showing support entailed providing the resources needed by their partner, such as nancial resources, food, clothes, and blankets for the baby.…”

“…So, he taught me how to take care of a child, even now he is still teaching me as I'm a parent." (10) "so I have two cousins at home right, they love their children so much so, that I believe that I love my child the way they love their children, and it's encouraging to see them enjoying the fact that they are fathers." (15) Participants' responses suggest that there has been something of a generational shift in norms around fatherhood, and that being present and involved is more common in the current generation of fathers.…”

“…I need to have a wife not a girlfriend." (10) "It was a casual relationship and it became serious when uh about 6 months after because I wasn't looking for somebody seriously I was just thinking about playing around but then I found that she was the one that I could spend my time with… we now have responsibilities, we have a child, and I like how uh she makes me mature like her advice that she gives me like she shows me that life is like this and that so that's mostly the things that I like about her." (12)…”

“…9 However, there are few published health interventions involving fathers in South Africa. [10][11][12][13] There appear to be some positive shifts in the narrative in South Africa about father involvement and traditionally gendered caregiving roles; [4][5][6]14 this has been observed in other African countries as well. 15,16 For example, research with expectant fathers in Senegal has also highlighted how Eurocentric notions of fathers' involvement do not adequately capture contextually speci c notions of involvement.…”