Title
Father Participation in a Community-Doula Home-Visiting Intervention with Young, African American Mothers
Date
2014
Author(s)
Matthew J. Thullen, Stephen Edward McMillin, Jon Korfmacher, Marisha L. Humphries, Jennifer Bellamy, Linda Henson, and Sydney Hans
Brief Type
Journal Publication
Model(s)
- Other Models
Description
This article examines the extent and nature of father participation in a perinatal, community-based doula home-visiting intervention that served young, African American mothers from low-income backgrounds and their infants. Home-visitor service records were used to assess the quantity, setting, and content of father-attended visits. Correlates of fathers’ participation and thematic insights from mothers’ and home-visitors’ perspectives on how fathers perceived and interacted with the home-visiting program were analyzed to further characterize the nature of father participation. Although the community-doula home-visiting model does not include special outreach to increase father participation, almost half of the mothers had a doula visit at which their baby’s father was present, many of which took place in medical settings. Mothers and doulas reported that fathers were generally positive about the doula, but expressed that fathers viewed the doula as a substitute provider of support that fathers seemed reticent to provide themselves. These results suggest that community doulas who visit pre- and postpartum in multiple settings have unique opportunities to have contact with fathers that traditional home visitors or early childhood specialists may not have. (author abstract)
Data Collection Methods
- Interviews
- Program administrative record reviews
Status
Finished
For More Information
Thullen, M. J., McMillin, S. E., Korfmacher, J., Humphries, M. L., Bellamy, J., Henson, L., & Hans, S. (2014). Father participation in a community‐doula home‐visiting intervention with young, African American mothers. Infant Mental Health Journal, 35(5), 422-434. doi: 10.1002/imhj.21463
Author Contact Information:
Matthew J. Thullen
thullenm@health.missouri.edu
Topics
- Participant Characteristics
- Participant Recruitment, Retention, Engagement, and Dosage