[Men and the paternal function in Caribbean families.]

It has previously been noted that one of the essential features of Caribbean families is the dominant position of women. Compared with the Western model of the nuclear family, these "matrifocal" families can give the impression that men and fathers are only marginally present or completely absent from the family scene, thus encouraging clinicians to view these families as deficient or pathological and their children as being "single-parented". Following a review of historical and economic factors contributing to this particular organization of the Afro-Caribbean family, this article uses three clinical cases studies to highlight the following points : 1) extended matrifocal families can resourcefully respond to the child's fundamental socialization needs ; 2) the paternal role can be and is often fulfilled in these families in a variety of ways (by fathers as well as others persons or social groups) which appropriately meet the developmental needs of the child ; and 3) when Caribbean families' ability to "father" the child is disrupted (through social isolation, emigration, developmental problems), mental health professionals should try to promote the (re)construction of an extended family network which applies more flexible concepts of "fatherhood" than those dictated by the nuclear family model.