Assessing the link between father involvement and childrens emotional wellbeing and behavioral patte

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Assessing the link between father involvement and
childrens emotional well-being and behavioral
patterns among selected newcomers in the Greater
Vancouver Area (GVA), BC

Iraj Poureslami, PhD Human Early Learning
Partnership (HELP), UBC
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Research team

• Iraj Poureslami, HELP/CPHPR - UBC
• Clyde Hertzman, HELP UBC

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Background

• Father involvement
• attention, emotional
• support, and focused care
• Cultural beliefs and
• practices and father
• involvement
• - knowledge gap in Canada

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Aim and Purpose of the Study

• This study aimed to assess the immigrant fathers
  involvement with their children's daily life
  within South Asian and South East Asian newcomer
  communities
• The purpose of this research was to investigate
  the fathers understanding and self-perception
  of their roles (vs. mothers perceptions of their
  husbands roles from the same households) in
  their childrens emotional health and behavioral
  pattern

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Method

• Three integrated steps
• 1. Studying existing services,
• models and frameworks for FI
• programs in BC across Canada
• 2. Applying full participatory
• approaches
• 3. Knowledge development,
• exchange, and transfer

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What we have done

• Developed and tested a FI measurement tool along
  with a Canadian version of Achenbach's child
  health and behavior scales
• Assessed the face and content validity of the
  measurement tool
• Community member interviews 160 face-to-face
  interviews with fathers (in 61 families both
  parents were interviewed)
• Community members focus group sessions (two
  events with 29 participants)
• Key Informants focus group session 12
  policy-makers, service providers and health care
  professionals participated in a group discussion

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Demographics of the Participants

• Mean age fathers 44 yr mothers 41 yr
• Length of time residing in Canada Ranged from 2
  to 10 years mean 5.6 years
• 95 of the fathers and 93 of the mothers had
  obtained high school diploma and/or attended
  college/university in their home country
• 45 of the fathers were underemployed, 29
  employed, and 26 unemployed

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Findings

• Mothers had dominant role in childrens health
  and their daily social activities
• Fathers had stronger role in financial support of
  the family bread-winner, and less involved in
  their childrens social, emotional, and health
  aspects
• Differences were identified b/w mothers and
  fathers perceptions in relation to childrens
  emotional health and behavioural patterns

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Employment Status and Self-reported FI

• Underemployed fathers had less satisfaction in
  the workplace and at home compared to employed
  fathers who reported higher levels of job and
  life satisfaction
• Underemployed fathers tended to interact with
  their children less than their employed
  counterparts in this study
• Underemployed fathers spent far less time with
  their children (M 13.29) than those who were
  employed (M 25.83)

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Focus Group Participants Comments on Barriers to
FI Services

• Perception of non welcoming attitude by some
  service providers
• Lack of information regarding FI services in
  their mother tongue
• Energy and efforts on other aspects of migration
  settlement, adjustment, employment, housing, etc.

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Suggestions Made by Parents-1

• Ways to enhance service accessibility
• Cultural sensitivity of service providers
• Presence of bilingual workers / volunteers
• Father Involvement Program operating after hours
  for working dads
• Use of ethnic media for publicity and education

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Suggestions Made by Parents-2

• Program Components/Approach
• Need to start with own language fathers - feel
  more comfortable before mixing with others
• Need more champions (e.g., fathers who speak
  their home language) in different programs as an
  attraction point
• Joint / friendship program with Canadian peer
  fathers

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Suggestions Made by Key-Informants-1

• Integrative services
• Advocating for FI program
• Both parents involvement needed
• Use culturally relevant approaching methods
• Centralized information and supports for bridging
  newcomers to program

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Suggestions Made by Key-Informants-2

• Cultural competency workshop and training for
  staff
• Reach out to the hiding refugee fathers
• Welcoming attitude of the staff
• Trust building between staff and the fathers

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Conclusion

• Fathers employment status/job satisfaction was a
  major determinant of father involvement
• Fathers vs. mothers perceptions of FI
• Challenges using the standard Achenbach's scales
  
• Cultural and traditional beliefs and practices
• Lack of understanding the terminology used in the
  scales
• Irrelevancy of some items

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Further Recommendations

• Develop and validate culturally relevant child
  behavior scales
• Involve fathers from the community in the
  development, implementation, and evaluation of FI
  program
• Community-based instead of individual -based
  approach
• Use ethnic media to promote participation of
  newcomer fathers in family and fathering-related
  programs

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Thank you

• For further information, please contact
• Dr. Iraj Poureslami, PhD
• Research Associate
• Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), UBC
• [phone]
• pouresla_at_interchange.ubc.ca