The YVPC Fathers and Sons Program
Cassandra L. Brooks, MSACassandra L. Brooks, MSACleopatra Howard Caldwell, PhDCleopatra Howard Caldwell, PhD
andandThe Fathers and Sons Steering CommitteeThe Fathers and Sons Steering Committee
Youth Violence Prevention CenterYouth Violence Prevention CenterFlint, MI & the University of MichiganFlint, MI & the University of Michigan
2012 Genesee County Health Department 2012 Genesee County Health Department Public Health ConferencePublic Health Conference
April 3, 2012April 3, 2012
WHY ARE FATHERS SO IMPORTANT?
Father Involvement and Benefits to ChildrenParenting and Men’s Health
The Flint Fathers and Sons Project
The Flint Fathers and Sons Project The Flint Fathers and Sons Project Community PartnersCommunity Partners
Flint Odyssey House-Health Awareness Center
Flint/Genesee County Neighborhood Roundtable
Faith Access to Community Economic Development (FACED)
Flint Community Schools
Genesee County Community Action Resource Department
Genesee County Health Department
Individual Community Representatives
University of Michigan-Flint
CBPR Methodological Approach
F athers an d Son s P ro jec t In p ut Ch art
L ite ra tu re R e v iew& C o m m u n ity E xp e rtise
In te rve n tionG ro u ps
F o cu s G ro u ps
S te e rin g C o m m itteeC B O s , H ea lth D e p t., U M -S P H
“Motivating Change: Encouraging Interdisciplinary Approaches to Bridging Academic Inquiry & Public Reality”
The Flint Fathers and Sons Project
CBPR approach Equal partnership
Local health department, CBOs, University
Project Purpose To develop a culturally relevant youth preventive intervention to enhance
relationships between non-resident African American fathers and their 8 to 12 year old sons in an effort to:
prevent or reduce substance use, violent behavior and early sexual initiation among sons and
encourage health promoting behaviors (i.e., help-seeking and physical activity) in both.
Lessons Learned
Nonresident African American fathers can be effectively involved in their sons’ lives.
Positive father involvement with sons is associated with positive outcomes for sons and fathers.
Nonresident African American fathers can improve their parenting skills through interventions that address their needs.
Addressing cultural context is critical for creating a safe environment for African American fathers and sons to participate in intervention programs.
“I feel so great because I’m hanging out with my dad,
thank you Lord.” — African American son and participant
in the Fathers and Sons Project
The YVPC Fathers and Sons Program African American father-son families
10–14 year old boys
Resident and nonresident fathers
Biological and father figures Mother/guardian consent
YVPC geographic area requirement for sons
Program Implementation Conduct two groups annually 10 father-son families per group
Total of 100 families
Program held at CBO, Trained Facilitators
Fathers and sons are paid to complete evaluation questionnaires
Intervention Description
10 sessions over 6 weeks
Meet 2 times per week
27 hours Intervention Sessions Homework Community events Evaluation interviews
One 4-month booster session
Intervention Content Areas Diversity among families
Personal relationships & responsibilities parental monitoring, role modeling, race socialization
Parent-child communication general & risky behaviors
Social support – within & outside family
Develop parenting & refusal skills
[Caldwell, C.H., Zimmerman, M.A., & Isichei, A.C. (2001). Forging collaborative partnerships to enhance family health: An assessment of strengths and challenges in conducting community-based research. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 7, 1-9.]
Be Proud of You!
Think about your
Strengths
Recognize your
contributions to
society!
Learn about your culture
Concluding Remarks Recruitment
Families
Facilitators
Interviewers
Implementation Schedule
Expected Program Benefits
Contact Information [email protected]
Summary of Findings for Fathers Intervention improved fathers’:
Parental monitoring
Race-related socialization behaviors
Communication about sex with sons
Parenting skills satisfaction
Intentions to communicate in the future with sons
Fathers request for professional help with problematic drinking behaviors
[Caldwell, C.H., Rafferty, J., Reischl, T., De Loney, E.H., & Brooks, C.L. (2010). Enhancing parenting skills among non-resident African American fathers as a strategy for preventing youth risky behaviors. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 17-35. ]
Summary of Findings for Sons Intervention effects were found for:
Perceptions of more monitoring by father
More communication about sex with fathers
Intentions to avoid violence in the future
Changing fathers parenting behaviors reduces aggressive behaviors in sons
Reducing aggressive behaviors in sons is associated with their intentions to avoid violent behaviors in the future
[Caldwell, C.H., Rafferty, J., Reischl, T., De Loney, E.H., & Brooks, C.L. (2010). Enhancing parenting skills among non-resident African American fathers as a strategy for preventing youth risky behaviors. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 17-35. ; Caldwell et al., 2012]
Take Home Messages
Non-resident fathers should not be overlooked as a source of support and protection for African American boys.
With non-resident families, every moment is a teachable moment for fathers to share their values and expectations with their sons, and vise versa.
Consider the environment of non-resident families when examining outcomes