Fatherhood Today: Men's Changing Role in the Family (Wiley Series on Personality Processes) [Paperback]

Phyllis Bronstein (Editor), Carolyn Pape Cowan (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1988 | ISBN-10: 0471836273 | ISBN-13: 978-0471836278 | Edition: 1

From the Foreword of Fatherhood Today "This is more than a volume about fathers. It is a book about how social science and culture interact, mutually influencing the social roles in modern society It is not clear whether the rediscovery of fathers in the 1970’s by social scientists encouraged us to notice fathers’ active participation in families or whether the cultural shifts in women’s work roles and alterations in men’s awareness of their emotional and expressive capacities led to an awakening of interest among social researchers. In either case, this volume is a marvelous testimony of the clear interdependence of science and society." —From the Foreword by Ross D. Parke

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Bringing together the views of professionals in psychology, social work, education, nursing, and other fields, this work describes the changing roles of men as husbands and fathers. Its intention is to clarify how these changes are influencing today's American family as well as men's personal lives. Examines ongoing research and intervention programs designed to follow the father's influence and needs in traditional and non-traditional settings--as single-parents, stepfathers, in minority households, and gay households. Looks at the influence of early or late timing in becoming a father, how men cope with fathering, and the effects men have on their children's development and on their marriages as they take a more active role as parents. An entire section is devoted to the increasing awareness of mental health professionals to changing family structures and the development of methods designed to help fathers adjust to change, including educational programs for new fathers and clinical work with divorced and widowed fathers.

From the Inside Flap

Fatherhood Today Fatherhood Today examines the ways fathers function within the diverse family structures in contemporary Western society. Leading expert contributors in developmental, clinical, and social psychology, sociology, social work, nursing, and pediatrics describe various research efforts designed to evaluate the ways men’s roles as fathers are changing as the American family changes. They also discuss various intervention programs that have been set up to accommodate today’s unique family situations. Beginning with a look at how early or late timing in becoming a father affects a man’s approach to parenting, the book discusses the changes men undergo with fatherhood, and the effects both on their children’s development and on their marriages as they undertake the role of parent. There are reports of fathers in both two-parent and single parent families, and of fathers who are primary caretakers of their children by choice or by necessity Particularly exciting is the section on programs for helping fathers adjust to change, which shows how mental health professionals are becoming more sensitive to men’s needs as fathers. The editors conclude with a summary of what these studies and interventions have taught us about fatherhood today, and point the way toward research and clinical work with fathers coping with the demands of contemporary family life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471836273
• ISBN-13: 978-0471836278
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,420,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)