Seekers were deemed to be men who actively sought out custody of their children while assenters were those who were forced to take care of their children. It was proposed that parenting styles of single fathers can be influenced by the manner in which they obtain their role of sole parent. The father's self-concept will be based on the usual interactions a person has, for example, with friends, peers and also his appraisal of himself as a father. Alternatively, help offered by others may be misconstrued by sole fathers as suggesting they are not competent. In a study investigating self-expectations of performance effectiveness for male single parents, there was an overwhelming belief by these men that they could perform well enough to meet the needs of their children.
Employment can also have an impact on single fathers and their concept of self-worth.
If fathers place significance upon being a breadwinner, then they may experience the dilemma of managing work or a career and caring for their children. This is more of a problem for men who place high values upon being a breadwinner, and when their perceptions of self-worth are based on this. Thus, for single fathers who are unable to find supportive work environments that are sensitive to their needs as single fathers, the likelihood of a negative impact on their perceptions of self-worth is increased. This impact on their self-esteem perhaps could not come at a worse time, particularly if they are still recovering from the loss of a relationship. Thus, attention needs to be paid to sole fathers' self-esteem levels and their support networks.