New in the 1998 edition is information on whether states are implementing explicit strategies to link welfare reform with children's initiatives. This brief summarizes key research findings on the relationship between father involvement and childoutcomes. As rates of divorce and nonmarital childbearing have increased in recent decades, the percentage of children and fathers who live apart from one another has also increased. Yet our knowledge of how father involvement affects children's well-being in these situations is quite limited, since most research on fathers and children has focused on intact families. This brief summarizes that larger body of research, as well as the relatively small group of studies that consider fathers who live apart from their children.
Children benefit from positive relationships with their fathers.
Warmth, closeness, and nurturance are important aspects of a healthy parent-child relationship regardless of whether the parent is a mother or father. But research also suggests that fathers contribute to their children's healthy development in ways that are unique from mothers. For example, in one study of young children's cognitive development, fathers promoted their child's intellectual development and social competence through physical play, whereas mothers promoted these skills through verbal expressions and teaching activities. A Summary of Key Research Findings Socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural variations among fathers and differences in family structure may affect fathers' roles and their level of involvement with their children. This brief summarizes key research findings on the ways in which various factors influence fathers' involvement in children's lives.