Fathers of Children Born to Adolescent Mothers

Absent Fathers as Providers: Race/Ethnic Differences in Support for Adolescent Mothers

“…Thus, some pregnant adolescents find themselves having to choose between parental support or support from their babies' fathers (Cervera, 1991). Having a supportive relationship between the adolescent mother's family and the father of her baby at two weeks postpartum predicted at least monthly contact between the baby's father and his child at 24 months in one prior study (Cox & Bithoney, 1995). Thus, family disapproval, especially by the baby's grandmother, (Rhein et al, 1997) may discourage or inhibit a father's contact with his child, regardless of his own wishes.…”

“…Adolescent mothers frequently live with their own families during the first few years following birth (Cox & Bithoney, 1995). Several prior studies of pregnant adolescents from various race/ethnic groups document negative reactions of family members toward the baby's father (Poland & Giblin, 1982;Rivara et al, 1981;Vaz, Smolen, & Miller, 1983) with families frequently not encouraging father involvement (Fein, 1976;May, 1982;Reiber, 1976;Rhein et al, 1997).…”

“…The duration and stability of a father's relationship with his child's adolescent mother and his involvement in pregnancy planning and decision-making also influence his commitment to parenting (Elster et al, 1989) Finally, family disapproval (Cox & Bithoney, 1995) or emotional distancing (Cervera, 1991) may discourage an otherwise interested father from having an ongoing relationship with his child and the adolescent mother.…”

Partner Support and Grandparent Support as Predictors of Change in Coparenting Quality

“…For instance, positive relationships between maternal grandmothers and fathers have been linked to more affectionate and supportive relationships between the individuals in the couple (Krishnakumar & Black, 2003). Additionally, a supportive relationship between parents and maternal grandmothers has been associated with more consistent paternal involvement with the child over time (Cox & Bithoney, 1995). These findings suggest that the presence of support from young parents’ own parental figures may be protective: grandparents may provide a supportive climate by encouraging and teaching their children to coparent more effectively.…”