African American Fathers Protect Their Young, UM Family Study Shows

COLLEGE PARK, MD - Teaching a child how to ride a bike and mow the lawn may be typical fatherly duties, but protecting a child from community violence has become the greatest responsibility for some local African American fathers according to a University of Maryland family study.

These fathers use innovative parenting strategies, such as reducing media violence exposure, confronting neighborhood drug dealers and teaching conflict resolution, to protect their preschool children from community violence.

Research suggests that community violence exposure may jeopardize preschool children's ability to learn and achieve. Violence exposure has also been found to interfere with children's functioning, mental health and development.

Conducted over two years in Prince George's County and Washington, D.C., this Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) funded study evaluated strategies used by 61 African American fathers and father figures of children between the ages of three and five in Head Start programs. Head Start provides individualized services for low income families in areas of education, early childhood development, parental involvement and health.

"Although more research is needed, the findings of this study clearly suggests that many African American fathers and father figures are highly involved with their young children and are implementing a variety of creative and positive parenting strategies," said Bethany Letiecq, lead investigator and University of Maryland family studies research associate.

The majority of the fathers in the study used similar strategies, such as conflict resolution, in teaching their boys and girls how to walk away from a fight. Many reported they used warm and nurturing parenting styles that have been found to promote positive outcomes for children.

During in-depth interviews, many fathers expressed the importance of teaching kids how to be safe at home and in the community. Some safety lessons included preparing children for possible confrontation with neighborhood drug dealers who may solicit them to sell drugs.

One father commented, "As adults, we have to be on the alert and make sure we teach our children accordingly because the strongest influence in a child's life comes from the home. If we don't teach them in the homes, once they step outside the homes they're susceptible to anything."

Preliminary findings show parental strategies used to protect children from community violence may differ as a function of a parent's gender. While mothers may be more likely to closely supervise children and isolate their families from the community, fathers may be more likely to adopt such strategies as confronting neighborhood troublemakers. However, the child's gender did not significantly change the kind of strategy fathers used to help their children deal with violence.

"Many fathers are working hard to keep their children safe, but it is a job they should not have to do alone. Head Start and other early childhood programs could learn a lot by reaching out to these fathers and seek their help in developing violence prevention interventions in the community," said Letiecq.

She also adds that while recent studies have investigated the strategies mothers and teachers use to cope with community violence, very little research has focused on strategies used by fathers, particularly African American fathers.

In addition to the Head Start program, the Significant Male Task Force (founded by James Shird, a previous Head Start father) and the Positive Men's Coalition are among organizations that contributed to this study. These organizations provide emotionaial support to African American fathers and other significant male role models in the Metropolitan Washington area.

The current study worked in collaboration with a larger U.S. Department of Education funded study conducted by University of Maryland family studies professors, Sally Koblinsky and Suzanne Randolph, who are investigating the roles of mothers and schools in promoting positive developmental outcomes for African American Head Start children in violent neighborhoods.

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