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Recruiting fathers to parenting programs: Advice from dads and fatherhood program providers

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  • Stahlschmidt, Mary Jo
  • Threlfall, Jennifer
  • Seay, Kristen D.
  • Lewis, Ericka M.
  • Kohl, Patricia L.

Abstract

The benefits of high-quality father–child relationships for fathers and children alike are well documented. While evidence suggests parenting programs can improve the quality of father–child relationships, few fathers participate in such programs. This qualitative study aims to fill the gap in knowledge on best practices for recruiting urban African American fathers, a group of fathers with unique parenting challenges, to parenting programs. Focus groups were conducted with 29 fathers to gain their perspectives on recruitment strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a nationwide sample of 19 fatherhood program providers to learn about their most successful recruitment strategies. Recruitment strategies based on emergent themes from the focus groups and interviews are presented here. Themes included using word-of-mouth recruitment, increasing advertising, targeting advertising specifically to urban African American fathers, providing transportation and incentives, recruiting through the courts, collaborating with other community agencies, and offering parenting programming along with other programming valued by fathers such as employment assistance. Implications for developing strategies for recruiting urban African American fathers to parenting programs are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Stahlschmidt, Mary Jo & Threlfall, Jennifer & Seay, Kristen D. & Lewis, Ericka M. & Kohl, Patricia L., 2013. "Recruiting fathers to parenting programs: Advice from dads and fatherhood program providers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1734-1741.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:35:y:2013:i:10:p:1734-1741
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.07.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kathleen Harris & Frank Furstenberg & Jeremy Marmer, 1998. "Paternal involvement with adolescents in intact families: The influence of fathers over the life course," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 35(2), pages 201-216, May.
    2. Axford, Nick & Lehtonen, Minna & Kaoukji, Dwan & Tobin, Kate & Berry, Vashti, 2012. "Engaging parents in parenting programs: Lessons from research and practice," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 2061-2071.
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    Cited by:

    1. Russell, Beth S. & Lincoln, Courtney R., 2017. "Reducing hostile parenting through computer-mediated parenting education," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 66-73.
    2. Rostad, Whitney L. & Self-Brown, Shannon & Boyd, Clinton & Osborne, Melissa & Patterson, Alexandria, 2017. "Exploration of factors predictive of at-risk fathers' participation in a pilot study of an augmented evidence-based parent training program: A mixed methods approach," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 485-494.
    3. Crooks, Natasha & Yates, Latrice & Sosina, Wuraola & Johnson, Juquita & Strong, Alexis & Griggs, Brianna & Shipp, Kentrele & Green, Betty & Matthews, Alicia & Johnson, Waldo, 2024. "Strategies for engaging Black male caregivers in family-based research," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Godfrey E. Siu & Daniel Wight & Janet Seeley & Carolyn Namutebi & Richard Sekiwunga & Flavia Zalwango & Sarah Kasule, 2017. "Men’s Involvement in a Parenting Programme to Reduce Child Maltreatment and Gender-Based Violence: Formative Evaluation in Uganda," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(5), pages 1017-1037, November.
    5. Lee, Shawna J. & Hoffman, Gregory & Harris, Donna, 2016. "Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) needs assessment of parenting support programs for fathers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 76-84.
    6. Quetsch, Lauren Borduin & Girard, Emma I. & McNeil, Cheryl B., 2020. "The impact of incentives on treatment adherence and attrition: A randomized controlled trial of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy with a primarily Latinx, low-income population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    7. Baran, Marek B. & Sawrikar, Vilas, 2024. "Service-level barriers and facilitators to father engagement in child and family services: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    8. Cassandra M. Johnson & Joseph R. Sharkey & M. Renée Umstattd Meyer & Luis Gómez & Marlyn A. Allicock & Tyler Prochnow & Elva Beltrán & Luz Martinez, 2021. "Designing for Multilevel Behavior Change: A Father-Focused Nutrition and Physical Activity Program for Mexican-Heritage Families in South Texas Border Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-23, September.
    9. Gonzalez, Juan Carlos & Flores, Iliana & Tremblay, Madeleine & Barnett, Miya L., 2022. "Lay health workers engaging Latino fathers: A qualitative study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    10. Julia Alamillo & Heather Zaveri, "undated". "Participation in Responsible Fatherhood Programs in the PACT Evaluation: Associations with Father and Program Characteristics," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 186955f0f79f4bf2b51f3bd44, Mathematica Policy Research.
    11. Laxman, Daniel J. & Higginbotham, Brian J. & Bradford, Kay, 2019. "Predictors of attrition and attendance in a fatherhood education program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 287-297.
    12. Russell, Beth S. & Maksut, Jessica L. & Lincoln, Courtney R. & Leland, Alicia J., 2016. "Computer-mediated parenting education: Digital family service provision," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1-8.

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