1
What Works in Fatherhood Programs Lessons
from Evidence-Based Practice

• Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew, Ph.D.
• Frances Ballard, M.S.N.
• Mindy E. Scott, Ph.D.
• Allison Metz, Ph.D.
• Mary Burkhauser, M.A.
• Child Trends
• June 17th, 2009

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INTRODUCTION

• Increase in programs designed to promote
  responsible fatherhood
• Limited information on the effectiveness of
  programs as
• evidence varies along with the quality and
  rigor of research methods used
• Only rigorous evaluations of programs provide
  evidence of whether programs have desired effect
• Results that come from well-designed programs
  that have been rigorously evaluated should be
  taken more seriously than results from less
  well-designed and evaluated programs!

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PRESENTATION OBJECTIVE

• OBJECTIVE
• To answer the question What really works in
  fatherhood programs?
• EVIDENCE Fatherhood programs that have been
  experimentally evaluated

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WHAT ARE RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED PROGRAMS?

• Rigorous research studies that yield high quality
  results include
• Strong Evaluation Designs (to determine
  causality)
• Adequate Sample Size
• Long-Term Follow Up
• Valid/Reliable Study Measures
• Proper Statistical Analyses
• Replication for Multiple Settings
• Fidelity to Program Model (adheres to program
  model originally developed)
• Dissemination of Results
• Independent External Evaluations

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WHAT CRITERIA USED FOR CONSIDERING FATHERHOOD
PROGRAMS?

• Experimentally evaluated (random assignment to
  treatment and control group with follow up to
  determine impact or effect)
• Sample size exceeds 30 in both treatment and
  control group
• 60 retention rate of participants
• At least one outcome positively changed by 10
  percent
• One outcome with substantial effect size
  significant at 0.05 level (p lt .05)
• Evaluated by independent external evaluator
  publicly available evaluation results

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EFFECTIVE FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS

• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Program
  Ex-offenders (New York)
• Dads for Life Divorced fathers (Arizona)
• Family Transition Program Welfare recipients
  (Florida)
• Filial Therapy Training with Incarcerated Fathers
  (Texas)
• PEACE Program Divorce education (Ohio)
• Parental Training for Incarcerated Fathers
  (Oklahoma)
• Parenting Together Project Transition to
  fatherhood (Minnesota)

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EFFECTIVE FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS, Contd

• Parents Fair Share Low-income, noncustodial
  fathers (OH, MI, FL, CA, TN, MA, NJ)
• Preparing for the Drug Free Years Help for
  parents in preventing teen drug use (Washington)
• Responsible Fatherhood Program for Incarcerated
  Dads (Fairfax County, Virginia)
• Systematic Training for Effective Parenting
  (STEP) for Incarcerated Fathers Prison Program
• Video Self Modeling Effects of Parenting
  Education on First-Time Fathers Skills
  First-time fathers (Canada)
• Young Dads Transition to fatherhood for young
  fathers (New York)

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PROMISING PRACTICE 1

• 1 Effective programs incorporated teaching
  methods and materials that were culturally
  appropriate for fathers and populations being
  served
• Tailored materials to specific populations of
  fathers (e.g., teen fathers, incarcerated
  fathers)
• Culturally sensitive in provision of services
  components
• Staff from same cultural group/similar living
  environment
• Example Preparing for the Drug Free Years
  (preventing teen drug use, Washington) used
  curriculum that included optional materials
  (ethnic adaptation guide) to help adapt lessons
  for different populations

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PROMISING PRACTICE 2

• 2 Effective programs selected teachers and
  facilitators who believed in the program being
  implemented and provided them with relevant
  training and coaching
• Staff are committed have buy-in
• Included well-trained instructors, regular
  follow-up training coaching sessions resulting
  in positive outcomes
• Opportunities for feedback reflection from
  staff to discuss challenges successes with
  implementing practice, training, or technical
  assistance needs
• Leaders with substantial experience in service
  delivery
• Example
• PEACE Program (divorce education,
  Ohio)instructors 10 years
• Parenting Together (transition to fatherhood,
  Minnesota)instructors 15 years

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PROMISING PRACTICE 3

• 3Effective programs had high staff participant
  ratios
• Effective programs had enough staff to work
  one-on-one with fathers or in small groups
• Effective programs included case management
  components
• Example
• Young Dads Program (transition to fatherhood for
  African-American adolescent males, NY) had 4
  staff members for 30 fathers
• CEO Program (ex-offenders, NY) vocational
  specialists worked one-on-one with fathers

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PROMISING PRACTICE 4

• 4 Effective programs had targeted curricula and
  set clear goals to be achieved by the program
• Programs with curricula designed around few core
  issues vs. those covering multiple issues were
  more effective
• Selected a target number of outcomes for change
• Developed and used a logic model
• Example PEACE program (divorce education, Ohio)
  targeted specifically family relationships
  following divorce

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PROMISING PRACTICE 5

• 5 Effective programs used theory-based
  approaches that have been effective in
  influencing behaviors in other contexts
• Developed logic models based on theoretical
  frameworks and designed activities related to
  inputs, outputs, and outcomes
• Example Preparing for the Drug Free Years
  (preventing teen drug use, Washington) based on
  theories of adolescent problem behaviors, risk,
  protective factors guided by social
  development model

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PROMISING PRACTICE 6

• 6 Effective programs employed a variety of
  teaching methods designed to focus on fathers as
  individuals and, in doing so, personalized the
  information
• Flexibility in service delivery to meet
  individual needs of fathers
• Examples
• Dads for Life (divorced fathers, Arizona)case
  management
• Young Dads (transition to fatherhood, NY)small
  group sessions
• Parenting Together (new fathers, Oklahoma)mini
  lectures, videos, role plays, new parent role
  models to meet individual needs of fathers

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PROMISING PRACTICE 7

• 7 Effective programs allowed sufficient time to
  complete important core program activities
• Short term curricula that last a couple of hours
  did not have measurable impacts (e.g., lt10 hrs)
• Examples
• Preparing for the Drug Free Years (teen drug use,
  Washington)duration 5-10 sessions delivered over
  several weeks
• Video Self-Modeling Effects of Parenting
  Education on First-Time Fathers Skills (first
  time fathers, Canada) duration gt 2 months,
  findings more positive

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PROMISING PRACTICE 8

• 8 Effective programs had staff who engaged in
  one-on-one relationships with fathers
• When work with fathers was individualized,
  fathers had better outcomes
• Ensured that programs were welcoming and engaging
  for men
• Example All programs that were effective had
  staff who worked one-on-one with fathers

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PROMISING PRACTICE 9

• 9 Effective programs encouraged the use of an
  incentive to engage fathers or their families
• Cash incentives, transportation, food,
  child-care, attendance incentives, program
  completion incentives
• Allowed fathers to bring children to program
  created activities for children
• Example Dads for Life (divorced fathers, AZ)
  Preparing for the Drug Free Years used
  combination of incentives to retain fathers
  thus reduced study attrition

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PROMISING PRACTICE 10

• 10 Effective programs replicated curricula with
  fidelity
• Used specified activities designed to be put into
  practice as created by developer
• Implemented curricula with fidelity
• Modifications not at expense of critical
  components of original model
• Example Parenting Together Project (transition
  to fatherhood, MN) ensured fidelity to program
  model using checklists completed by parent
  educators after sessions

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PROMISING PRACTICE 11

• 11 Effective programs for fathers involved with
  the criminal justice system taught important
  skills and provided opportunities to practice
  using them
• Went beyond classroom instruction to include
  hands-on application of newly learned skills
• Example
• Filial Therapy Training with Incarcerated Fathers
  (Texas) included both weekly training sessions
  weekly supervised play sessions with children
• CEO Program (ex-offenders, NY) provided both
  pre-employment classes as well as paid
  transitional employment job coaching

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PROMISING PRACTICE 12

• 12 Effective programs for fathers involved with
  the criminal justice system addressed unique
  needs of this population
• More likely to have used drugs less likely to
  have contact with children
• Low-levels of education lack of employable
  skills, difficult to find work upon reentry
• Example
• STEP for Incarcerated Fathers provided counseling
  on socialization and reentry into the family unit
• CEO Program (ex-offenders, NY) taught fathers to
  answer questions about their convictions while on
  job interviews

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EARLY CONCLUSIONS

• Not all effective programs have been evaluated
  using experimental designs
• Promising practices presented here are
  suggestions based on available research
• Research on effectiveness of fatherhood programs
  is still limited
• Inappropriate to reach conclusions about
  approaches to improving responsible fatherhood
  based on handful of studies
• Cannot say which combinations of strategies will
  work

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Promising Practices in Teen Fatherhood Programs

• Evidence-based and evidence-informed
• research findings
• Teen fathers represent a vulnerable population
• Increased interest in programs to promote
  responsible
• fatherhood among teen fathers

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OBJECTIVE

• OBJECTIVE
• To answer the question What really works in teen
  fatherhood programs?
• EVIDENCE Effective teen fatherhood programs
  (i.e., evaluated programs that meet a certain
  standard of rigor)

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WHAT ARE RIGOROUSLY EVALUATED PROGRAMS?

• Rigorous research studies that yield high quality
  results include
• Strong Evaluation Designs (to determine
  causality)
• Adequate Sample Size
• Long-Term Follow Up
• Valid/Reliable Study Measures
• Proper Statistical Analyses
• Replication for Multiple Settings
• Fidelity to Program Model (adheres to program
  model originally developed)
• Dissemination of Results
• Independent External Evaluations

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WHAT CRITERIA USED FOR CONSIDERING TEEN
FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS?

• Evaluated using
• Random assignment (assignment to treatment and
  control group)
• Quasi-experimental (comparison group)
• Sample size of at least 15 in both treatment and
  control or comparison group
• 50 retention rate of participants
• At least one outcome positively changed by 5
  percent
• One outcome with substantial effect size
  significant at 0.10 level (p lt .10)
• Evaluated by independent external evaluator
  results publicly available

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MODEL AND PROMISING TEEN FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS

• Young Dads Transition to fatherhood for young
  fathers (New York)
• Prenatal Education Intervention Prenatal
  classes for young fathers
• Respecting and Protecting Our Relationships HIV
  prevention program for inner-city Latino
  adolescent parenting couples (Los Angeles)
• STEP-UP Mentoring for Young Fathers
  Self-sufficiency program for young fathers
  (Phoenix)

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PROMISING PRACTICE 1

• 1 Effective programs partnered with community
  organizations to help recruit and engage teen
  fathers
• Partnered with wide variety of community agencies
• Programs developed partnerships in order to
  recruit participants, access expertise (e.g.,
  mentoring) and physical resources (e.g., space)
• Example
• STEP-UP (self-sufficiency, Phoenix) formally
  partnered with the Valley Big Brothers/Big
  Sisters (VBB/BS) because of expertise in
  providing mentoring services to young men in
  community

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PROMISING PRACTICE 2

• 2 Effective programs gave program staff
  opportunities to develop one-on-one relationships
  with teen fathers
• Worked with individual fathers through small
  groups, case management, and/or mentoring
• One-on-one work allowed programs to create
  individualized service plans to meet needs of
  teen fathers
• Example
• Young Dads (transition to fatherhood, New York)
  each participant created individual plan with
  case worker
• STEP-UP (self-sufficiency, Phoenix) mentors and
  case managers developed personal relationships
  with participants

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PROMISING PRACTICE 3

• 3 Effective programs offered a comprehensive
  array of services to teen fathers
• Providing teen fathers with parenting information
  alone insufficient
• Offered variety of services (e.g., employment,
  education, counseling)
• Referred teen fathers when service was needed
  that program did not provide
• Example
• STEP-UP (self-sufficiency, Phoenix) offered
  counseling, case management, mentoring, and
  educational services and supports

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PROMISING PRACTICE 4

• 4 Effective programs began with theoretical
  program model
• Used theoretical perspectives, theories of
  change, and approaches found to be effective with
  young parents
• Example
• Prenatal Education Intervention curriculum
  based on the emotional and educational needs of
  teenage fathers (Elster Panzarine, 1980)
• Respecting and Protecting Our Relationships (HIV
  prevention, LA) program activities from the
  experimentally evaluated Be Proud! Be
  Responsible! program

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PROMISING PRACTICE 5

• 5 Effective programs delivered services in
  engaging and interactive ways
• Did not rely solely on traditional lecture-style
  presentation of materials
• Used small and large group discussion, hands-on
  activities, workshops on relevant topics, case
  management, mentoring, audiovisuals aids,
  skill-building activities, and family-oriented
  activities
• Example
• STEP-UP (self-sufficiency, Phoenix) held
  workshops on avoiding legal hassles and stress
  management

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PROMISING PRACTICE 6

• 6 Effective programs utilized needs assessments
  and participant feedback to provide teen fathers
  with the services they wanted
• Provided flexibility in service delivery to meet
  individual needs of fathers
• Example
• Respecting and Protecting Our Relationships (HIV
  prevention, LA) - held focus groups and
  interviews before solidifying curriculum to
  assess needs of adolescent couples
• Prenatal Education Intervention fathers given
  time at end of sessions to discuss individual
  concerns with the group

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PROMISING PRACTICE 7

• 7 Effective programs recruited and selected
  staff who were experienced, empathetic,
  enthusiastic, and well-connected in the community
  
• Hired experienced professionals (e.g., social
  workers, registered-nurse specialist)
• Hired staff who understood, empathetic toward
  teen fathers, enthusiastic about the teen
  fatherhood program
• Well-connected staff were able to help
  participants (e.g., find jobs)
• Examples
• Young Dads (transition to fatherhood, New York)
  staff networked with local politicians/business
  owners to help participants find work

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PROMISING PRACTICE 8

• 8 Effective programs incorporated teaching
  methods and materials appropriate for teen
  fathers
• Tailored materials to meet unique needs of
  teenage fathers and were culturally sensitive in
  the provision of services
• Example
• Respecting and Protecting Our Relationships (HIV
  prevention, LA) - based its curriculum on
  culturally rooted concepts and indigenous values
  of the Chicano, Latino, Hispanic and Native
  American peoples
• Young Dads (transition to fatherhood, New York)
  hired male social workers, who were thought to be
  better equipped to serve young fathers

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PROMISING PRACTICE 9

• 9 Effective programs encouraged the use of an
  incentive to engage fathers or their families
• Cash incentives, transportation, food, childcare,
  attendance incentives, program completion
  incentives
• Allowed fathers to bring children to program and
  created activities for children
• Example
• STEP-UP (self-sufficiency, Phoenix) Respecting
  and Protecting Our Relationships (HIV prevention,
  LA) used combination of incentives to recruit and
  retain fathers and families, thus reducing study
  attrition

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PROMISING PRACTICE 10

• 10 Effective programs mentored teen fathers
• Teen fathers often lack positive role models and
  have few people to whom they can turn
• Mentors were either professional case workers or
  trained volunteers
• Example
• Young Dads (transition to fatherhood, New York)
  case workers seen by fathers as someone to turn
  to in crisis and role model

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EARLY CONCLUSIONS

• Not all effective programs have been evaluated
  using experimental or quasi-experimental designs
• Promising practices presented here are
  suggestions based on available research
• Research on effectiveness of teen fatherhood
  programs is still limited
• Inappropriate to reach conclusions about
  approaches to improving responsible fatherhood
  based on handful of studies
• Cannot say which combinations of strategies will
  work

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Briefs
• Available at www.fatherhood.gov
• (1) What Works in Fatherhood Programs? Ten
  Lessons from Evidence Based Practice
• (2) Promising Teen Fatherhood Programs Initial
  Evidence, Lessons from Evidence-Based Research
• (3) What Works in Programs Serving Fathers
  Involved in the Criminal Justice System? Lessons
  from Evidence-Based Evaluations
• Reports
• Available at www.fatherhood.gov
• (1) Elements of Promising Practice for Fatherhood
  Programs Evidence-Based Research Findings on
  Programs for Fathers
• (2) Elements of Promising Practice in Teen
  Fatherhood Programs Evidence-Based and
  Evidence-Informed Research Findings on What
  Worked
• (3) Elements of Promising Practice in Programs
  Serving Fathers Involved in the Criminal Justice
  System
• Author Contact jbronte_at_childtrends.org (202)
  572-6122
• Presenter Contacts fballard_at_childtrends.org
  [phone]
• 
  mscott_at_childtrends.org [phone]