Outcomes of National Fatherhood Initiative® Programs

Independent evaluations have demonstrated that the National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI) programs listed below positively impact fathering knowledge, parenting skills, father-child involvement, co-parenting relationships, protective factors against child abuse and neglect, and others. The studies summarized below were conducted by independent researchers evaluating NFI programs either as standalone curricula or as components of larger fatherhood interventions. Full citations and links to each study appear in the References section at the bottom of this page.

Additional evaluations are currently underway. Their outcomes will be added as results are published in formal reports or peer-reviewed journal articles.

<< Back to Proven Programs

24:7 Dad®

The 24:7 Dad® program has been evaluated across multiple studies. Documented outcomes include:

  • Pro-fathering knowledge, attitudes, and skills, including co-parenting competencies (Lewin-Bizan, 2015; Perry, 2019).
  • Five cross-cultural traits of effective fathers: self-awareness, self-care, fathering skills, parenting skills, and relationship skills (Osborne et al., 2017, pp. 41–42 and 57–59; Cederbaum et al., 2024).
  • Five protective factors that reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect, as defined by the Strengthening Families framework (Osborne et al., 2017, pp. 42–49 and 60–61).
  • Parental self-efficacy — the belief among fathers that they can be effective parents (Lewin-Bizan, 2022).
  • Parental involvement, measured as increased time spent with children (Child Trends, 2025, pp. 1–2, 19–22, and 30).
  • Facilitator development — facilitators delivering the 24:7 Dad curriculum reported improved personal parenting skills and a stronger sense of purpose (Cederbaum et al., 2024).

View References >>

InsideOut Dad®

The InsideOut Dad® program, designed for incarcerated and re-entering fathers, has been evaluated with the following outcomes:

  • Increased pro-fathering knowledge, attitudes, skills, and self-efficacy (Block et al., 2014).
  • Increased father-child contact during and after incarceration (Block et al., 2014; Turner et al., 2021).
  • Decreased parental conflict between fathers and their co-parents (Turner et al., 2021).
  • Improved fathers’ overall well-being (Turner et al., 2021).

View References >>

Understanding Dad™

The Understanding Dad™ program focuses on mothers and their role in supporting the father-child relationship. Evaluated outcomes include:

  • Increased relationship awareness among mothers, including knowledge of healthy co-parenting dynamics and relationship self-efficacy (Fagan & Vecere, 2015).
  • Increased co-parenting confidence among participating mothers (Fagan, Henson, & Pearson, 2021).
  • Reduced parental disagreements and a decrease in maternal undermining of the father-child relationship (Fagan, Henson, & Pearson, 2021).

View References >>

References

24:7 Dad® Studies

  1. Lewin-Bizan, S. (2015). 24/7 Dad® Program in Hawai‘i: Sample, Design, and Preliminary Results. Center on the Family, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/135704/247-Dad-Evaluation-Lewin-Bizan-06102015.pdf
  2. Perry, A. R. (2019). 24/7 Dad® in a Multi-site Parent Education Intervention for Non-resident Fathers: Preliminary Project Evaluation. University of Louisville. https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/Research%20Evaluation%20Files/247Dad_Louisville_Univ_preliminary_eval_final.pdf
  3. Osborne, C., Dillon, F., Cryer-Coupet, Q., et al. (2017). Fatherhood EFFECT Evaluation Final Report: A Comprehensive Plan for Supporting Texas Fathers and Families August 2017. Child and Family Research Partnership (CFRP), University of Texas at Austin. https://135704.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/135704/Research%20and%20Evaluation%20Related%20Files/CFRPReport_R0140817_FatherhoodEFFECT.pdf
  4. Cederbaum, J. A., Okine, L., Monro, W., Albassam, B., et al. (2024). The Secret Sauce: Experience of a Group-Based Intervention for Black and Latino Fathers. Child & Family Social Work, 29(1). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cfs.13135
  5. Lewin-Bizan, S. (2022). The Effectiveness of National Fatherhood Initiative®’s 24/7 Dad® Intervention in Improving Men’s Parental Self-Efficacy. Center on the Family, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. https://135704.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/135704/Miscellaneous%20Documents/Lewin-Bizan-247Dad_evaluation_040722.pdf
  6. Child Trends. (2025). Resilience in Reentry: An Implementation and Impact Evaluation of the Social Resilience Model in the PREPARE Program in New York City. https://pub-35cb1528455e4a46bbd4371582c4df39.r2.dev/media/PREPARE_ChildTrends_December2025-1.pdf

InsideOut Dad® Studies

  1. Block, S., Brown, C. A., Barretti, L. M., Walker, E., Yudt, M., & Fretz, R. (2014). A Mixed-Method Assessment of a Parenting Program for Incarcerated Fathers. Journal of Correctional Education, 65(1), 50–67. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26507640
  2. Turner, J. J., Bradford, K., Higginbotham, B. J., & Coppin, A. (2021). Examining the Outcomes of the InsideOut Dad Fatherhood Education Program for Incarcerated Minority Fathers. The Family Journal, 29(2). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1066480720978541

Understanding Dad™ Studies

  1. Fagan, J. & Vecere, E. (2015). Pilot Study of a Program to Increase Mothers’ Understanding of Dads. Family Process, 54(3). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/famp.12137
  2. Fagan, J., Henson, A., & Pearson, J. (2021). Low-Income Mothers’ Participation in the Understanding Dad™ Intervention and Changes in Self-Reported Coparenting. Journal of Family Social Work, 24(3), 199–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/10522158.2020.1852640

 

<< Back to Proven Programs

 

© 2026 National Fatherhood Initiative®. All rights reserved.