About this session

Saturday, 10:20 AM - 11:50 AM

Engaging fathers in parenting interventions in LMICs: implementation approaches and program impacts on paternal caregiving

Parenting programs have largely focused on mothers exclusively. This is especially true in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where poverty, restrictive gender norms, and the absence of social policies create additional challenges to engaging fathers. Nevertheless, observational studies are increasingly showing the positive influence of fathers in promoting early child development across cultures and context globally. In this symposium, we will present the experiences and results of four studies that engaged fathers using innovative strategies and within different types of parenting programs across diverse settings in LMICs. The first program was a digital intervention with expectant fathers in urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. The second was a gender-transformative group-based parenting program for couples with young children in rural Tanzania. The third was a hybrid (in-person and digital) parenting program that was delivered through a preschool system and included fathers in Malaysia. The final program was a hybrid (community group and home visiting) parenting program for primarily mothers but also attempted to engage fathers in rural Western Kenya. Each study reveals unique insights into the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of father-inclusive interventions. Overall, these studies showcase a diverse range of implementation approaches for engaging fathers and collectively underscore the positive impacts on fathers' caregiving outcomes in LMICs.

Paper #1
Title	Engaging fathers(to-be): adaptation and programme experience of implementing SMS4baba mhealth intervention in Kenya’s informal settlements
Presenting author	Dr. Vibian Angwenyi, Aga Khan University, Kenya

Paper #2
Title	Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a couples-based parenting program in Tanzania
Presenting author	Joshua Jeong, Emory University, United States

Paper #3
Title	Father engagement in the pilot hybrid human-digital positive parenting program within Malaysia's KEMAS preschool system
Presenting author	Hal Cooper, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Paper #4
Title	Fathers’ engagement in a parenting program mainly for mothers: a mixed-methods evaluation in rural Kenya
Presenting author	Juliet McCann, Emory University, United States

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Session chair
Joshua Jeong, Emory University, United States

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