--- title: [Journal Article] Qualitative Evaluation of NFI’s Understanding Dad™ description: Researchers have submitted two articles on the evaluation of the Understanding Dad™ program to peer-reviewed journals. image: https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_temple-evaluation-understanding-dad.png --- [Skip to main content](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/journal-article-qualitative-evaluation-of-nfi-understanding-dad#main) - [![NFI mark](https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI%20mark.svg)FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://www.fatherhood.org/) - [STORE.FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://store.fatherhood.org/) [![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=149&height=82&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=65&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=66&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=89&height=49&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ](https://www.fatherhood.org) - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Show submenu for Get Informed Get Informed - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - [Father Stats & Infographics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) - Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Find Your Stage of Father Inclusion](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-inclusion) - [How Father Friendly Is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Fatherhood Data & Statistics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - [How Father Friendly is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Other Free Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/nfi-free-resources) - [Talk With us to Get Started](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) National Fatherhood Initiative Blog / [Latest Articles](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood) [NFI-Specific Programs & Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/topic/nfi-specific-programs-resources) # [Journal Article] Qualitative Evaluation of NFI’s Understanding Dad™ 1 min read ![Christopher A. Brown](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/chris_circle_icon.png?width=100&height=100&name=chris_circle_icon.png) [** Christopher A. Brown ** ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/author/christopher-a-brown) Chris serves as the President of National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI), where he is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of NFI's strategic plan and business model, as well as its operations and fundraising efforts. ![NFI_Blog_temple-evaluation-understanding-dad](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_temple-evaluation-understanding-dad.png?width=453&name=NFI_Blog_temple-evaluation-understanding-dad.png) Last October I blogged about a [second, independent evaluation of Understanding Dad™](https://www.fatherhood.org/fatherhood/second-evaluation-of-understanding-dad-further-reveals-the-programs-promise), a program of National Fatherhood Initiative® that helps moms: - Understand why father involvement is important. - Improves moms’ awareness of how their relationship with their own dad and mom impacts moms’ relationship with their child’s dad. - Improves communication between moms and their child’s dad. - Increases moms’ confidence in co-parenting with their child’s dad. The researchers have submitted two articles on the evaluation to peer-reviewed journals. The first of the two articles, which includes the results of the qualitative portion of the evaluation, has been published in *Families in Society: **The Journal of Contemporary Social Services*. (The second article includes the results of the quantitative portion of the evaluation and is under review.) The abstract of the journal article summarizes the qualitative results. > Coparenting between mothers and nonresident fathers is a consistent predictor of positive father involvement and is shown to have a direct positive impact on children’s behavioral outcomes. While many fatherhood programs attempt to improve coparenting relationships using father-only interventions, the information on their effectiveness is mixed. Couple interventions may be more effective than father-only approaches but are very hard to achieve with nonresident parents. Engaging mothers may be more practical and beneficial, although there is very little literature on the impact of mother-only interventions on coparenting relationships. The current study begins to address that gap. It presents qualitative reactions by mothers and fathers to a mother-only coparenting intervention and finds that a mother-only approach can achieve some important goals such as improved communication, reduced conflict, and mother’s understanding of the father’s point of view. Fathers whose parenting partners participated in the mother-only group agreed with mothers’ assessments and also reported less undermining. Click [here](https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/Research%20Evaluation%20Files/Understanding-Dad-Five-Site-Evaluation-Qualitative-Peer-Reviewed.pdf?__hssc=162717731.4.1593525928020&__hstc=162717731.c82d303a250b6eeeb21b777278689d55.1583755925375.1593521546978.1593525928020.99&__hsfp=1363169300&hsCtaTracking=d55d4f67-c3b1-45a9-942e-a8a5b75d47d1%7Cdd6d0a27-b4a3-4cc1-b143-f3998a046213) to download the journal article. As soon as the article on the quantitative portion of the evaluation is published, I’ll blog about it. In the meantime, read my [October post](https://www.fatherhood.org/fatherhood/second-evaluation-of-understanding-dad-further-reveals-the-programs-promise) for a summary of those results. And to learn more about Understanding Dad™, click [here](https://store.fatherhood.org/understanding-dad-an-awareness-program-for-moms/). **Does your organization work with moms and dads to improve their coparenting?** **Did you know that Understanding Dad™ can be an effective research- and evidence-informed coparenting intervention?** [![he Benefits of Fatherhood Programs in Community-Based Organizations](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/135704/bbfbc796-8f3f-495b-a089-976b4f177f1f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/135704/bbfbc796-8f3f-495b-a089-976b4f177f1f) Date Published: 07/07/2020 Last Updated: 07/07/2020 ## Learn How to Build a Fatherhood Program That Works Download this free guide for a proven 7-step roadmap—from making the case and securing funding for your program, to launching and measuring real results! [Get The Guide Now!](https://www.fatherhood.org/starting-a-fatherhood-program) ![7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program.png?width=700&height=700&name=7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program.png) [ Previous ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/how-to-strike-recruitment-retention-gold) [ Next ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/marriage-taboo-or-vital-topic) ## Related Articles ### [Five Leadership Practices That Build Father-Inclusive Organizations Image created with GPT Image 2. Creating a father-inclusive organization doesn't happen through a new but isolated fatherhood program, staff training on how to include fathers, or ... Read More](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/five-leadership-practices-that-build-father-inclusive-organizations) ### [Beyond Graduation: Keeping Fathers Connected Image created with GPT Image 2. 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