UMD Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/3
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a given thesis/dissertation in DRUM.
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item THE ROLE OF VIETNAMESE AMERICAN FATHERS’ INVOLVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION(2016) Ho, Amy; Wigfield, Allan; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research in the field of parental involvement is important to identify ways to help support children’s academic achievement outside of school. This study extended the literature by examining father involvement within a sample of Vietnamese American fathers using mixed methodologies. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 18 fathers; and quantitative data were collected through questionnaires completed by the fathers, mothers, and one school-aged child in the family. The interview data were analyzed using grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) and underwent peer review throughout analysis to ensure codes were reliable and valid. The questionnaire data were analyzed using correlations and descriptive statistics. Results from the interviews found two roles that fathers take on in their home involvement, the role of the principal and the role of teacher. Findings also revealed five dimensions to be considered in examining the roles and responsibilities of parents: distribution of roles, flexibility and specificity in the responsibilities of the principal role, and directness and frequency in the responsibilities of the teacher role. Further, results from the qualitative data showed that culture and ethnic identity have influence an on fathers’ beliefs, expectations, and practices. For example, fathers indicated that they prioritize their children’s activities around belief in the Confucius teaching that education is key to upward mobility. The collectivistic views within Asian culture helped fathers to set high expectations and enforce rules for children’s academic achievement as this reflect the achievement of the family and community too. Findings from the quantitative data showed that fathers’ ethnic identity, involvement, beliefs, and expectations, and children’s motivation and achievement were related to each other in various ways. Consistent across both types of data results showed that fathers were more involved at home, specialized and focused on math achievement, and that ethnic identity and culture played a role in the fathers’ beliefs and strategies to parenting. This study provides rich information on the breadth and depth of fathers’ involvement and the process involved in helping their children succeed in school. Future research should continue to examine fathers’ involvement to fully understanding the mechanisms of parental involvement.Item LOW-INCOME TEEN FATHERS' TRAJECTORY OF INVOLVEMENT: THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL, CONTEXTUAL, AND COPARENTAL FACTORS(2009) Holmes, Allison; Harden, Brenda J; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While teen births are on the rise and marriage rates are on the decline, fathers have become a recent focus. However, there is a dearth of literature on teen fathers' parenting behaviors. The current study provided a portrait of Early Head Start teen fathers' involvement throughout early childhood and salient influences on that involvement. This study maximized developmental and life course perspectives by employing a longitudinal analysis (i.e., Latent Growth Curve Model) that emphasized time-effects. The majority of teen fathers were involved with children initially, but their involvement decreased over time. Consistent with extant literature, teen fathers who were prenatally engaged, resident after the birth, and in romantic coparental relationships at 14- and 24-months were more involved in their children's lives initially. Teen fathers who were in romantic coparental relationships at 36- and 64- months were less likely to decrease their involvement over the course of early childhood. Surprisingly, age, race, employment, and school status were not significant influences on father involvement. Although the present study had its limitations, trends were noted and should be considered in future studies. Teen fathers are a unique population facing several challenges to meeting their own developmental needs and enacting their father role. Some conceptual factors shown to be influential for father involvement with adult and married fathers (i.e., age, employment) do not hold the same meaning and impact among teen fathers. The conceptual and ultimately practical meaning of behaviors and characteristics must be contextualized within teen fathers' developmental trajectory and ecological settings. Similarly, examination of teen fathers within a dynamic, longitudinal framework emphasized the need to address fatherhood in a different way. Previous studies have examined longitudinal data, but not examined the patterns of involvement for individual fathers. This different perspective (i.e., person-centered) revealed unique patterns for teen fathers. Further analyses will allow when and how to best intervene with teen fathers. Teen fathers may be at-risk, but they are involved with their children and can positively benefit both children and mothers. Head Start and Early Head Start could continue to support teen fatherhood through its mission to serve low-income children and parents; availability from pregnancy through 5-years; and mission to adapt to the needs of the community and family. But without support or intervention, the cycle of teen of parenthood is perpetuated.