Future Research
• First and foremost, the effects of father
involvement on child development need to be
better understood.
– Fathers unique contributions among specific
populations, and at individual stages of development
are still in the early phases of research.
– The roles of breadwinner, moral guide, sex role
model, and nurturer are a good beginning point but
these are defined by researchers.
– Current research shows families should be the source
of ongoing definitions of fathering.
Future Research Cont.
• Clinical Studies
– Effects of Fathers Absence/ Presence on
therapy
– Parental Dynamic in Therapy (two instead of
one better?)
– Is Dad Being there really better?
– Does the order and timing of parental
involvement matter?
– What about the Gender of the therapist and
likelihood to involve dad?
Future Research Cont.
In Ideal Therapy/ Research Land
A systematic study of family configurations and
how they interact with differing therapists and
therapists techniques would provide needed
insight and clinical direction for therapists
working with families.
Demographic info for all family members and
therapists involved in a double blind study based
on observational measures comparing those
therapists who work to incorporate parents into
their children’s therapy with those who don’t as a
control group.
Future Research Cont.
Presenting Problem-Once more is know
about the influence of father involvement
research correlating the effects of this
involvement with specific clinical problems
needs to be done. This research should be
specific to:
Age of Children
Nature of Parents’ Relationship