Low‐income fathers' and mothers' perceptions of the father role: A qualitative study in four early head start communities

Abstract

A qualitative inquiry in four Early Head Start Research sites explored the question of how lowincome mothers and fathers view the role of fathers in their families. Role perceptions were gathered from a total of 56 parents of infants and toddlers across the four sites, using multiple data collection methods that included focus groups, open-ended interviews, and one case study. The data were analyzed to identify common themes across sites. The participants identifi ed roles that included: providing fi nancial support, "being there," care giving, outings and play, teaching and discipline, providing love, and protection. Implications of these qualitative fi ndings are discussed with respect to their relationship to current theoretical frameworks about father roles. Further, these fi ndings shed light on the question of whether low-income families view parenting roles as being relatively discrete (i.e., separate or "traditional" functions of mothers and fathers), or whether they view their roles in a more blended, co-parenting perspective. RESUMEN: Una investigación cualitativa en cuatro lugares de investigación de "Early Head Start," exploró la pregunta de cómo las madres y los padres de bajos recursos económicos ven el papel que ellos tienen dentro de sus familias. Se reunio´ información sobre la percepción de su función dentro de la familia, de