Project Summary

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate two very brief online interventions that would (a) provide psychoeducation to fathers of young children about the impact fathers have on children’s well-being and (b) offer fathers of young children an opportunity to reflect on and journal about the purpose they find in their roles as fathers and impacts on their children. We hypothesize that our two online interventions will lead to fathers of young children reporting greater intentions to be involved in their children’s health and greater purpose. One hundred eighty-three fathers of young children were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: psychoeducation, purpose-reflection, or control.

Approach

• Online intervention
• Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
  

Measurement & Metrics

• Confirmatory factor analyses
• Tests of association to establish validity
  

Key Findings

• Results indicated that the experimental conditions increased fathers’ sense of purpose but that participants’ endorsement that men should have power over women predicted less sense of purpose in life. 
  
  
• Results suggest support for brief interventions to increase purpose as well as the need to focus on how masculine gender roles, specifically men’s attitudes toward women, may affect their sense of purpose as a father. We also recommend that future research seek to better understand factors and experiences that may contribute to fathering identities consistent with positive paternal involvement.