Predictors of Father Involvement in a Sample of Low-Income Men Enrolled in a Responsible Fatherhood Program

Fathers play an important role in the lives of their children and are an underserved and understudied population. This study explored predictors of father involvement in a sample of low-income fathers enrolled in a responsible fatherhood program in one large county in the northeastern United States. Although many demographic, psychological, and social factors have been found to be associated with father involvement in other research, in our study only living situation, marital status, substance abuse, and self-esteem were significant predictors of involvement. The findings of this study underscore the need for more comprehensive fatherhood programming that includes mental health, substance use, and relationship counseling in addition to the traditional fatherhood program curriculum. Suggestions for future research include the study of father involvement among fathers of children in multiple households, as well as among fathers who are not physically present (for example, incarcerated or serving in the armed forces), and specifically in the context of substance abuse services.