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Parenting Programs for Fathers of Young Children: Lessons from Research and Practice

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Handbook of the Psychology of Fatherhood

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Abstract

This chapter reviews parent and family education programs that focus on fathers of young children prenatal through age 5. The review of research suggests a long history of programs for fathers that have been developed in different sectors to address a variety of needs. A core focus of these programs has been on positive father–child relationships adding a recent emphasis on co-parenting relationships. The field has been plagued by a lack of rigorous research on programs for fathers, which is beginning to change. The chapter examines some of the debates about universal versus targeted programs and the educational background and training of practitioners. Future directions for improving services for fathers include a continuum of services model, early intervention efforts starting before birth, improved training and support for practitioners, and new approaches to accountability and program improvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Cloud State University, St Cloud, MN, USA

    Glen Palm

  2. Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Jay Fagan

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  1. Glen Palm
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  2. Jay Fagan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, York, PA, USA

    Sonia Molloy

  2. School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Pierre Azzam

  3. Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Anthony Isacco

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Palm, G., Fagan, J. (2022). Parenting Programs for Fathers of Young Children: Lessons from Research and Practice. In: Molloy, S., Azzam, P., Isacco, A. (eds) Handbook of the Psychology of Fatherhood. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14498-1_21

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