Research Approach and Objectives

NCOFF's research agenda includes a range of studies that use multiple methodological approaches. We focus on diverse populations of fathers and families-for example, minority families, two-parent families, those living in poverty, and those affected by policy changes, such as welfare reform. Our primary research objective is to augment an existing, cross-disciplinary knowledge base on children, mothers, and families by encouraging the investigation of father-related issues that have emerged and highlighting those that have yet to be explored. We seek to advance the knowledge base by:

• Identifying salient issues from both practice and research
• Encouraging collaboration in the development of research studies and the application of varied methodological approaches
• Providing critical analyses on the influence of policies on the real lives of fathers and families and on the cognitive, emotional, academic, and social development of children

   

Practice-Driven Research

With few exceptions, the traditional assumption has been that knowledge flows from research to practice. We believe that perspective minimizes the potential of practice as a source of information and collaboration. Instead, we support the notion that the relationship between research and practice is bidirectional and reciprocal. Such a relationship can be achieved best by strengthening the links between researchers and practitioners and by establishing relationships of mutual learning, and contributing to policy formulation. NCOFF has imbedded this philosophy in its work in several ways:

• Practitioners serve as integral members of NCOFF's Family Development Study Group.
• Practitioners contribute to NCOFF's recently initiated practice-focused paper series (described under "NCOFF Publications" on page 6).
• Practitioners collaborate with our researchers to inform program evaluation.
• Practitioners have access to-and are supported in their use of-resources, such as NCOFF's FatherLit Database.

   

Family Development Study Group

NCOFF's research efforts are organized through the Family Development Study Group, which consists of interdisciplinary teams that integrate practice and policymaking into the design, development, and implementation of research studies. Study teams include researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who work together to examine practical applications, public policy, and social change. Current study teams are addressing the following topics:

• Public Policy, Family Support, and Father Involvement
• Theoretical and Conceptual Issues in Fathering, Father Involvement, and Family Support
• Child Well-Being within Family, School, and Community Contexts
• Family Structure in Historical and Contemporary Perspectives: Issues of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity
• Education, Workforce, and the Economy
• Life-Span and Family Life-Course Development
• Poverty and Social Vulnerability

   

Selected Research Studies

NCOFF's study teams are engaged in a range of research studies that utilize both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches:

• The Fathers in Urban Settings Study focuses on the nature of the relationship between young, low-income urban fathers and their children. Through surveys, focus groups, and interviews with a sample of fathers who have and have not been involved actively in a fathering program, the study seeks to understand the degree to which employment, education, and other factors serve as either motivations or barriers to father involvement and children's well-being.
• The Bay Area Fathering Integrated Data System (BAyFIDS) Project tracks, documents, and analyzes the operation and impact of fathering programs and policies in the San Francisco Bay Area. A collaborative project with the University of California - Berkeley and SRI International, the project's objectives are: (1) to deepen the field's knowledge of fathers and families programs, the participants in them, and programs' potential to contribute to integrated activities that support children and families, and (2) to improve our understanding of the impact local and county policies have on fathering programs. BAyFIDS products, including a directory of programs, can be found online at www.bayfids.org.
• The Fathering Indicators Framework (FIF) is an evaluation tool designed to help researchers, practitioners, and policymakers measure change in fathering behaviors in relation to child and family well-being. The FIF can be adapted for multiple uses with different populations of fathers and for examining parenting relationships, including cooperative parenting.
• Fatherhood and the Criminal Justice System Study, conducted in collaboration with the Vera Institute for Justice, focuses on the status of fatherhood initiatives at the state level and the degree to which emerging, planned, or implemented policies have integrated issues affecting incarcerated fathers and their ability to be involved in their children's lives.
• Fathering, Parenting, and Adolescents is a multiphase research study and program implementation effort focusing on three areas: (1) developing a better understanding of the relationships among family systems and processes, fathering behaviors and father involvement, and delinquent adolescent behavior; (2) using this information to design, implement, and evaluate a fathering component to an existing family-based delinquency program; (3) and generating better survey measures for key concepts that might be incorporated into national data collection efforts.
• Projects of NCOFF-Affiliated Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions collectively represent more than 20 projects on families, fatherhood, parenting, and child well-being in school and home contexts. Examples include: