About this poster

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Panel information
Panel 4. Families, Parenting, and Relationships

Abstract

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Fathers play an instrumental role in the outcomes of their children. However, prejudice and racism can have a profound impact on African American father’s parenting (Cooper et al., 2021). Particularly, African American father’s identity can impact the degree to which fathers are involved in their children’s education (Posey-Maddox, 2017). Due to the negative stereotypes surrounding African American fathers, it is paramount that African American fathers feel supported by those in their families and in their communities as they rear their children. These support networks can help strengthen African American father’s identity and increase their involvement in their children’s education and learning (Cooper et al., 2020).
Guided by the integrative model for the study of the developmental competencies in minority children, this study expands research on Black fathers’ identity and links between father’s identity and school involvement.
(H1): Black father’s identity will be positively associated with father’s school involvement.
(H2): Family support and community support will be positively associated with father’s school involvement.
(H3): The relationship between Black father’s identity and father’s school involvement will be moderated by support (i.e., family support; community support).
(H3a): High support will strengthen the association between Black father’s identity and father’s school involvement.
Method
This study uses data from Representations of Fatherhood: Roles, Awareness, & Meaning (REFRAME).
The current sample (N=589) included fathers who self-identified as Black/African American and who have a child between the ages of 8 and 17. Participants were recruited from communities in the U.S.
Black Father’s Identity. Fathers reported on six items (e.g., I am happy that I am a Black father).
School Involvement. Fathers reported frequency of engagement with their child in six school activities (e.g., attending school events).
Community Support. Fathers reported the level of support from their community in eight items (e.g., I have a good bond with others in my community).
Family Support. Fathers reported the level of support from their family in eight items (e.g., I can count on my family when things go wrong).
Covariates. Fathers’ education, father’s residential status, and father’s relationship status.
Results & Discussion
Regression models were computed to predict school involvement. Moderation was tested with interaction terms (e.g., father identity X community support)
Preliminary results indicate father identity did predict school involvement. There were statistically significant interactions between father identity and community support. However, there were no statistically significant interactions between father identity and family support. Final analyses will interpret this interaction.
African American fathers’ support networks may be particularly protective for fathers wishing to be actively involved in their children’s education, despite the systems that seek to define them. These findings highlight the strengths and needs of African American families, while contributing to understanding how African American fathers’ identity, and support networks influence their parenting.

Author information

Author	Role
Victoria H. Cooper-Roundy, University of Arizona	Presenting author
Shauna M. Cooper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States	Non-presenting author

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