Parental Involvement: Engaging a Father's Role in the Social and Psychological Development of our Daughters

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Ivan Page Dr, Albany State UniversityFollow

Location

Plimsoll

Strand #1

Family & Community

Relevance

Our daughters are in danger primarily because of lack of parental involvement from fathers. From fatherless holds, commercially exploited teens and increased child abuse we need answers and a plan of action to save our daughters, families and communities. How do we prevent our daughters from running away and ending up on the streets as a prostitute or runaway living in poverty or even in a gang? The answer to this growing phenomenon is more father involvement. The data reveals over and over that in most cases a father’s involvement in his daughter’s life is a determining factor; if she grows up with positive self- esteem, view men in a positive way and gains the confidence to succeed in life.ily

Brief Program Description

This session will examine the importance of a father’s involvement in raising his daughters during the teen years. The objective of this presentation is to discuss: (1) the need for a positive father/daughter relationship, (2) the social and psychological development of teen daughters as a result of father involvement, and (3) some best practices to enhance father/ daughter relationship

Summary

My workshop would focus on at risk teen girls growing up without their father’s involvement. Particular attention will be given to importance of father’s role, the pressure, both socially and economically, placed on the mother because of a non- participating father. Particular attention will be given to the following: --The father’s responsibility in relation to the family structure --Fathers teaching their daughters how to date. --Providing some social behavioral boundaries whether in the house-hold or not. --Working with the mother to provide guidance and love Some theories and models I will use are: (1) the family systems model, (2) Erik Erikson adolescent development stage of gaining identity vs. confusion, (3) Edwin Sutherland’s differential association theory; and (4) I will share the results of my study of father involvement in the development of his daughter (Titled, Challenges, Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs of Raising Daughters).

Evidence

Data for my research was gathered from a focus group of 25 fathers from various backgrounds and also interviews with fifteen women who are now in their thirties and forties. Both groups were asked to respond to a set of questions. Also evidence based results from studies performed by noted psychologist Kevin Leman, the author of Have a New Teenager by Friday and Meg Meeker author of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: Ten Secrets Every Father Should Know will be shared. Both of these books present data and case studies on some “best practices” for positive teen development and behavior. Finally, in relationship to my findings, I will also share with workshop participants, research from various journals such as the Journal of Marriage and Family, the Journal of Social Work Education, Journal of Children and Youths Services and the Journal of Early Adolescence and the Journal of Family Relationships.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Ivan Page is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Albany State University in Albany, Ga. At Albany State University he teaches courses in family development, social policy theory, community organization and legal issues in social work. He also teaches a Marriage and Family course at Clayton State University. Over the years Dr. Page has taught sociology, social work, psychology, and interdisciplinary courses to a diverse student body.

Dr. Page is the author of Dads Matter: Me and the Girls. He has been quoted in Ending the Blame Game, Single Black Fathers On Relationship, in the E-Book Why We Fall Out of Love, in Ebony Magazine: “He Said, She Said”, in “Whatta Man, Whatta Man, Whatta Mighty Good Man”; and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “From Diapers to Diploma”. He has published the following articles, Issues and Answers: Bad Managers Hire Bad Managers; Torn From Within: The African American Family Epidemic: A Woman Perspective; and Torn From Within: The African American Family Epidemic.

Keyword Descriptors

Risk factors, Adolescence period, Fatherhood, Social and Psychological development

Presentation Year

2015

Start Date

3-2-2015 1:15 PM

End Date

3-2-2015 2:30 PM

Recommended Citation

Page, Ivan Dr, "Parental Involvement: Engaging a Father's Role in the Social and Psychological Development of our Daughters" (2015). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 12.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2015/2015/12