Title

Fathers in Home Visiting: An Examination of Father Participation in Iowa MIECHV

Date

2018

Author(s)

Neil Alan Rowe

Brief Type

Dissertation

Model(s)

  • Healthy Families America (HFA)
  • Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP)

Description

In this dissertation, father participation in early childhood home visits was examined using
observational data from 50 Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) home
visits where a father figure was present for a visit with a mother receiving services and a target
child two years old or younger. The sample included 34 different home visitors. Videos were
coded using the HVOF-R and HOVRS A+ observational tools. Fathers were more present and
available during home visits than previous research indicates (Holmberg & Olds, 2015; McBride
& Peterson, 1997; Raikes, Summers & Roggman, 2005). A father-figure was present in 25.1% of
the initial home visit videos with a mother recorded for the state-led MIECHV evaluation. When
fathers were home during the visit, they were available for 76.4% of parent-involved home visit
activities. Average father engagement when he was available was 3.5 on a 1 to 7 scale. When
available, fathers were included in parent-involved home visit activities by the home visitor an
average of 42.5% of the time. Roggman, Boyce and Innocenti’s (2008) developmental parenting
approach for early childhood practitioners and Korfmacher et al’s (2008) model for influences on parent involvement in early childhood home visiting were used as a conceptual framework. No home visitor practices were significantly related to father availability. Home visitor inclusion of the father was the only home visitor practice in this study significantly predictive of his
engagement. Father engagement increased .053 (p < .01) for each percent increase of father
inclusive practices by the home visitor. In addition, father inclusive practices explained a significant proportion of variance in father engagement, , R2= .702 F(1, 48) = 112.43, p < .001.
The home visitor having a social science degree resulted in an increase in father inclusive practices by 14.50% (p < .05). (author abstract)

Data Collection Methods

  • Parent-child observations
  • Program administrative record reviews
  • Surveys or questionnaires

Status

Finished

For More Information

Rowe, N. A. (2018). Fathers in home visiting: An examination of father participation in Iowa MIECHV (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Iowa State University Digital Repository. (16452)
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7459&context=etd
Author Contact Information:
digirep@iastate.edu

Topics

  • Participant Recruitment, Retention, Engagement, and Dosage