Abstract
This article describes a qualitative researchstudy of Promise Keeper fathers. Twenty-two middleclass, primarily White suburban fathers were interviewedin focus groups abouttheir fathering experiences. The grounded theory analysis found that the menwere experiencing gender role strain as they tried toconform to traditional masculine role norms. The PromiseKeeper movement provided them with an ideology and social supportsystem that facilitated theirbecoming more involved fathers, while simultaneouslyreassuring them that they were the leaders of theirfamilies. Using these supports, the men were able to construct a more personally gratifyingfatherhood identity. These results suggest a possibleinterpretation of why the Promise Keeper movement hasappealed to more men than has the pro-feminist men's movement.
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Silverstein, L.B., Auerbach, C.F., Grieco, L. et al. Do Promise Keepers Dream of Feminist Sheep?. Sex Roles 40, 665–688 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018852500604
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018852500604