Abstract
Objectives
The father–child relationship is an important factor in child development. Improving protective factors for fathers, such as access to social support, is one strategy to enhance these critical relationships. Few studies have examined parenting strategies for fathers specifically, and fewer have examined programs delivered in early childhood settings.
Methods
A quasi-experimental study of the Circle of Parents® program implemented in a Head Start/Early Head Start setting examined social support and other protective factors for 112 fathers.
Results
Based on intent-to-treat analysis, there was no improvement in social support but fathers who participated in the program reported a significant reduction in parent–child conflict (β = −3.38; p < .01). Due to lack of compliance in treatment assignment, propensity-score adjusted models were also estimated. One model indicated positive effects for increased parenting self-efficacy (β = 5.30; p < .05). Father engagement in this mutual aid support group was challenging.
Conclusions
Parenting support groups offer potential benefits to fathers, but barriers to program participation limit the feasibility of broader impact.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by grant #90PR0006 from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) to Temple University and the Center for Policy Research.
Author Contributions
PL designed and executed the study, conducted the data analyses, and contributed to writing and editing the paper. JF conducted data collection, supported data analysis, and contributed to writing and editing the paper. QS conducted data collection, led participant recruitment, supported data analysis, and contributed to writing and editing the paper. GC supported data analysis and led writing and editing the paper.
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All procedures performed in this study were approved by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Office of Human Research Ethics. The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose. The Institutional Review Board at the Office of Human Research Ethics at UNC Chapel Hill approved this study. All participants provided informed consent.
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Lanier, P., Frey, J., Smith, Q. et al. A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Peer Support Group to Enhance Protective Factors for Fathers of Children in Head Start. J Child Fam Stud 28, 1558–1570 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01383-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01383-y