Work

Race/Ethnic Differences in Nonresident Fathers’ Involvement After a Nonmarital Birth*

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This article examines how the levels of nonresidential father involvement (over child ages 1 to 9) differ by race/ethnicity (comparing White, Black and Hispanic fathers), and then considers how individual and couple characteristics may 'account for' any observed differences. METHOD: = 2,447) and random effects models were used to examine how nonresidential father involvement (with respect to time, engagement, shared responsibility, and coparenting with mothers) is differentiated by race and ethnicity. RESULTS: Overall, Black nonresident fathers were significantly more likely to spend time and engage in activities with their children as compared to Hispanic fathers-but not White fathers. Black fathers also shared responsibilities more frequently and displayed more effective coparenting than Hispanic and White fathers. CONCLUSIONS: Fathers' involvement with children is shown to differ across major race/ethnic groups, with implications for children as well as for future research and public policy.

Source: Social Science Quarterly

DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12482

Authors: Calvina Z. Ellerbe, Jerrett B. Jones, Marcia J. Carlson

Institutions: University of North Carolina at Pembroke, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Family Dynamics and Relationships

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: Medical Research Council, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development