Unmarried Black Adolescent Fathers and Their Controls: The Washington, D.C. Sample

This document is the final report of a study of Black, unmarried adolescent fathers and matched counterparts designed to identify and describe quantitatively the difficulties they faced and their methods for solving the problems. The data were secured through a nonprobability sample of 38 fathers and 35 non-fathers in Washington, D.C. Data were collected in personal interviews with the use of an interview schedule which is included at the end of the report. It was found that differences between fathers and controls were minimal, and were only infrequently statistically significant. The ones that were significant suggested that unmarried Black adolescent fathers were more likely to be more trusting, to drop out of school, to be employed, and not to be church goers. The major problems faced by young fathers in this study were getting a job, parenting skills, and financial responsibility. The young fathers most often sought help from their families, especially their mothers. Based upon the findings in the report, it was recommended that more parenting agencies for adolescents provide services for young, unmarried fathers. This group needs massive outreach in order to get involved, and an agency's outreach program should extend to the fathers' male friends and families. (CG)