A Must-Read Book on Fatherhood Programming

If you’ve subscribed to this blog for a while, you know that I’ve blogged often about the fantastic research sponsored by the Fatherhood Research and Practice Network (FRPN)—research that’s advanced by leaps and bounds what we know about effective fatherhood programming. (The FRPN was a five-year federally-funded project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I had the honor to sit on the FRPN Advisory Committee.)

That’s why I’m excited to share that FRPN has published New Research on Parenting Programs for Low-Income Fathers. Edited by FRPN co-directors Dr. Jay Fagan and Dr. Jessica Pearson, it’s a book with 13 of the most significant studies that FRPN funded and guided. The studies cover assessments of:

• The effectiveness of fatherhood programs based on a qualitative meta-synthesis of 47 studies.
• The effectiveness of 1) a structured curriculum; 2) program dosage, and 3) conducting explicit staff training to enhance father engagement, based on rigorous RCTs.
• The effectiveness of cell phone and online technology to engage fathers and message to them about parenting.
• The feasibility and effectiveness of engaging mothers in coparenting interventions and the changes in conflict, methods of handling disagreements, and coparenting that they produce.
• Effective approaches to engaging fathers in domestic violence education and prevention, and strategies to include fathers (with their families) in family homeless shelters.
• Effective approaches to sustaining fatherhood programs by monetizing the economic returns of successful father participation; and conducting multi-agency planning initiatives with a trusted intermediary.

The book concludes with a summary of key learnings and suggestions for future research.

I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

What about you?

If you need an enticement, I’ve got one for you.

Download this flyer. It provides a summary of the book’s content, who can benefit the most from the book, and a code that you can use at checkout to purchase the book at a 20 percent discount! You can order the book here.

How much do you know about the research on effective fatherhood programming?

Would you like to increase your knowledge about research that can make your fatherhood program more effective?