SFTC24: “I Am Always Here For Them”: Black Fathers Discuss Characteristics Within Their Father-Child Relationships

SFTC24: “I Am Always Here For Them”: Black Fathers Discuss Characteristics Within Their Father-Child Relationships
CE: 1.00
Speaker: Joslyn C Armstrong Ph.D.

The literature for Black father-child relationship quality is underrepresented (Gadsen & Smith, 1994; Ohalete, 2007). Generally, scholarship on father involvement and relationship quality with children promotes that the common characteristics of these relationships consists of play, financial responsibility, and presence or residence (Castillo et al., 2013; Coates & Phares, 2014). What we do know is that Black fathers are shown to engage in high levels of participation in interpersonal activities with their families compared to other fathers (Shears, 2007; National Health Statistics Report [NHS], 2013). For Black fathers, scholars state that children who benefit from an involved father tend to exhibit lower levels of mental health disorders and substance use, and increased academic achievement (Peterson, 2007). The purpose of this presentation is to share out from the father’s perspective the behaviors they engage in to build their relationships with their children. Data were collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews with Black men as fathers. Findings highlighted four core themes. Themes emerged such as “I play with them.”, “We hug and we kiss.”, “I am a provider, I am a protector, and I am an educator.”, and “[We have] real conversations.” Qualitative findings suggest that Black fathers contribute to their father-child relationships in empirically similar and distinctly different ways. These results highlighted that Black fathers use a variety of strategies and resources to be involved, participate, and strengthen their relationships with their children (NHS, 2013; Shears, 2007).

**Disclaimer: Please note that this recording is from an in-person conference session, and there may be moments where the speaker is momentarily out of view or not fully visible on screen. Due to technical limitations or the nature of live events, there may be inconsistencies in the camera framing or transitions. Please also note that some of the audience questions may be difficult to hear due to the nature of the live event set up. We appreciate your understanding and patience as you watch this session.
Discounted member price: 20.00
30.00
You could save 33%