The changing nature of fatherhood: the nurse and social policy

Fathers, fathering and fatherhood are topics which receive little attention throughout the world's professional literature. Only recently has there been increased interest and research on the changing roles of men with particular emphasis on nurturing and parenting. A body of knowledge has started to accumulate which investigates the role of fathers with their families. The purpose of this article is to summarize the research literature about fatherhood in the United States of America today and to discuss the implications of this research for the practice of nursing. This analysis synthesizes the literature using two different perspectives. The developmental perspective traces the role of fathers from family planning through the family life cycle to grandfatherhood. The social contextual perspective summarizes the literature related to fathers for three common variations in society today: single custodial fathers, fathers in dual earner families, and adolescent fathers. Lastly, implications for nursing practice and social policy are discussed.