Constructing adolescent fatherhood: responsibilities and intergenerational repair

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Parenthood literature historically overlooked adolescent fathers.
• Negative stereotypes often depict young fathers as delinquent and uninvolved.
• Recent research indicates young fathers are more engaged than previously assumed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how young fathers perceive and articulate their paternal responsibilities.
• To investigate young fathers' hopes for their children's futures.
• To introduce the concept of intergenerational repair in the context of adolescent fatherhood.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with young fathers.
• Discursive analysis of interview data to understand the meaning of fatherhood.
• Focus on the construction of paternal responsibilities in their narratives.

Main Results:

• Young fathers articulate a strong sense of responsibility towards their children.
• Their talk about fatherhood often includes aspirations for their children's futures.
• The concept of "intergenerational repair" emerged as a key theme in their discussions.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent fathers are actively engaged and thoughtful about their roles.
• Understanding their perspectives requires challenging existing negative stereotypes.
• Practitioners should adopt a critical approach, questioning assumptions about young fathers.