Fatherhood: a review and resources

Fathers, fathering, and fatherhood have emerged since the 1970s as a topic of major interest to parents, practitioners, educators, and policymakers. A body of knowledge has begun to accumulate which provides a better understanding of the role of men within their families. The purpose of this article is to summarize both the literature about fatherhood in the United States today and the various resources available for those who work with fathers and families. Topics that are covered include: summary of fathering literature across the family life cycle, implications for family and public social policy, and fathering resources. The fathering resources discussed are books, audiovisual aids, and organizations. This information is useful for researchers, policymakers, educators, and practitioners in the family arena.