How Do Social, Economic, and Cultural Factors Influence Fathers Involvement with Their Children?
Noting that 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. Regarding socioeconomic influences, indicators such as education level, income, and social class have been found to be linked to father involvement; for instance, fathers with higher levels of education are more accessible to and engaged with their school-age children. Bleak economic conditions may lead fathers to seek alternative ways to be involved with their children. Regarding racial and ethnic variations, research has revealed variations in the amount and type of father involvement based on the racial/ethnic background of the father; however, there are perhaps as many or more similarities as there are differences. Regarding family structure, research has not kept pac
