Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) - Detailed Report

• The curriculum targets 5 aspects of family life for intervention to enhance fathers’ involvement:

-both partners’ individual well-being
-the quality of the relationship between the parents
-the quality of relationship between parent and child
-breaking negative cycles across generations
-coping with life stress and enhancing social support

• Group structure follows a curriculum but includes open-ended discussion of personal and family issues. This is not a skills training program that teaches participants that there is only one correct way to be a family.
• Leaders are trained mental health professionals, ideally license eligible.
• Cultural sensitivity is maintained in intervention approach, language, and curriculum materials.
• Meetings are held at dinnertime to meet schedules of working families. Food provided.
• Childcare is provided.
• Case management is provided for all families.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) is rated a "2 - Supported by Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale based on the published, peer-reviewed research available. The practice must have at least one rigorous randomized controlled trial with a sustained effect of at least 6 months. For more information on the rating of a "2 - Supported by Research Evidence," please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Cowan, P.A., Cowan, C. P., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. D., & Wong, J. (2009). Promoting fathers' engagement with children: Preventive interventions for low-income families. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 71, 663-679.

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial.
Number of participants: 371 couples
Population:

Age Range: Families with children 0-7 years
Race/Ethnicity: 67% Mexican American, 27% European American, 6% other.
Status (e.g., foster care, CW): Families recruited through Family Resource Centers, other county service agencies and community events.

Location/Institution: California
Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations) Families were recruited to participate in an intervention aimed at improving father engagement in childrearing. Recruited families were excluded if screening suggested mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse problems, or if they were currently involved in an open case with Child Protective Services. Participants were randomly assigned to a 16-week fathers’ group, a 16-week couples group, or a comparison group that only attended a single informational meeting. All participating families also had access to a case manager, who could make needed referrals to services and follow-up with regard to attendance at training sessions. Measures developed by the authors included a self-reported estimate of father-child relationship and parents’ self-ratings of division of labor in childcare. Parents also completed the Parenting Stress Inventory (PSI), the Ideas About Parenting Questionnaire, and the Quality of Marriage Index. Children’s behavior problems were assessed with the Child Adaptive Behavior Inventory. Results showed that parents in the 16-week group training conditions reported more stable perceptions of children’s problem behaviors and those in the couples groups reported more stable levels of relationship satisfaction. No effects were found for parenting attitudes. Limitations include self-report measures and use of a screened convenience sample.
Length of post-intervention follow-up: 11 months after group interventions, 18 months after single session.

Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2005). Encouraging strong relationships between fathers and children. Working Strategies, 8(4), 1-11.

Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2007). An approach to preventing coparenting conflict and divorce in low-income families: Strengthening couple relationships and fostering fathers' involvement. Family Process, 46(1), 109-121.

Cowan, P. A., Cowan, C. P., Cohen, N., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2008). Supporting fathers' engagement with their kids. In J. D. Berrick & N. Gilbert (Eds.), Raising children: Emerging needs, modern risks, and social responses (pp. 44-80). New York: Oxford University Press.

Pruett, M. K., Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., & Pruett, K. (2009). A cross-cultural preventive intervention for low-income families with young children. Journal of Social Services Research, 35, 163-169.

Pruett, M. K., Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., & Pruett, K. (2009). Fathers as resources in families involved in the child welfare system. Protecting Children, 24, 52-65.