1st Edition
Voices of African-American Teen Fathers I'm Doing What I Got to Do
Find out what it’s like to be young, African-American . . . and a father
Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an insightful look at adolescent pregnancy and parenthood through the eyes of fathers aged 14 to 19. This unique book features candid interviews with thirty teens who talk about “doing what I got to do”—handling their responsibilities as best they can given their perceptions, limitations, and life experiences. Teens talk about how and why they became fathers, how they handle being a parent, their perceptions of fatherhood, the relationships they have with their parents and the mothers of their children, and how they deal with the everyday struggles, demands, and concerns they face.
Nearly one million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year in the United States and most of the available research on adolescent parenthood focused on them. We know little about African-American adolescent fathers or about their perspectives on the cultural and socioeconomic conditions that define their experience. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers provides an understanding of these young fathers on their own terms and suggests theoretical frameworks, assessment tools, and effective interventions to develop a plan of action to help African-American adolescent fathers fulfill their roles. Helpful appendixes, including an interview guide and biographies of the particpants, are included, as are six tables that make complex information easy to access and understand.
Voices of African-American Teen Fathers examines tough issues, including:
- intimate, amicable, or antagonistic relationships with their children’s mothers
- relationships with their own mothers and fathers
- racism and discrimination
- child support
- loss of independence
- transportation problems
- drugs
- socioeconomic issues
- and much more
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. Literature review
- Teen Pregnancy Statistics
- Teen Childbearing Statistics
- Consequences of Teen Motherhood
- Sociopolitical Issues of Teen Parenthood
- Explaining Teen Motherhood
- Adolescent Fathers
- Explaining African-American Teen Fatherhood
- Perceptions of Fatherhood by African-American Youths
- African-American Teen Fathers and Their Relationships with Others
- Theoretical Perspective: Social Ecology and Gender Theory
- Research Questions
- Chapter 2. Research Methods
- The Teen Fathers
- Environmental Factors
- Recruitment Strategies
- The Interviewing Process
- Reliability, Validity, and Generalizability
- Transcription
- Data Analysis
- Chapter 3. How and Why African-American Teens Become Fathers
- Carelessness: “It It Happened, It Happened”
- Lack of Communication: “We Just Didn’t Talk About It”
- Getting “Trapped”: “I Think She Got Pregnant on Purpose”
- International Pregnancies: “We Wanted to Have a Baby”
- Limited Alternatives: “Abortion and Adoption Were Not Options”
- Chapter 4. How Teen Fathers Think About and Do Fatherhood
- Father As Provider: “I’m Not Running from My Responsibilities”
- The Involved Nurturer: “I’m Being There for my Child”
- The Independent Father: “It’s Not My Responsibility!”
- Chapter 5. Teen Fathers and Their Families of Origin
- Relationships with Their Fathers
- Relationships with Their Mothers
- Chapter 6. Teen Fathers and the Mothers of Their Children
- Amicable Associations
- Loving, Intimate Affairs
- Antagonistic Relationships
- Chapter 7. Teen Fathers and Peer Influence
- Fatherhood Affecting Friendships
- Warning from Friends
- Fatherhood As Status Symbol
- Peer Influence Before Fatherhood
- Chapter 8. The Challenges and Concerns of Teen Fathers
- Youth-Related Issues
- Fear of Losing Independence
- Relationship Problems
- Concerns About Child Support
- Socioeconomic Challenges
- Transportation Issues
- Cultural Influences
- Drug Issues
- Daily Survival
- Racism and Discrimination
- Chapter 9. Discussion and Conclusion
- Research Questions and Major Findings
- Theoretical Relevance of Findings
- Chapter 10. Where Do We Go from Here? Designing a Plan of Action (Rhonda Lewis)
- Theoretical Frameworks
- Recommendation #1: Develop an Assessment Tool
- Recommendation #2: Use the Stages of Change Model to Address Condom Use
- Recommendation #3: Identify the Risk, Protective, and Cultural Factors Associated with Early Adolescence
- Recommendation #4: Use the Three Identified Categories of Fathers to Develop an Effective Intervention
- Limitations
- Appendix A. Interview Guide
- Personal Demographic Information
- Identity Questions
- Socioeconomic Circumstances and Perceived Future Outlook
- Transition to Fatherhood
- Definition of Fatherhood
- Sexual Experience and Background
- Fatherhood Involvement and Parental Support
- Relationship with Mother of Child
- Peer Relationships
- Relationships
- Relationship with Family of Origin
- Other Questions
- Appendix B. Brief Biographies of Participants (Listed by Age)
- References
- Index
Biography
Angelia M Paschal
