Faces of fatherhood: African American young adults view the paternal role

Narrative analysis of semistructured interviews with 64 young adults (98% African American) revealed their idealized views of biological fathers. Interviews contained descriptions of current father contacts as well. Data were informed by prospective quantitative information on father-child contact from infancy to age 15. Ideally, biological fathers give children personal presence, material support, counsel, and guidance. Each relationship was classified as either: deceased, unknown, known but not involved, or involved; analysis showed that the extent of early contact tended to predict these categories. These findings have implications for practitioners and service providers working with African American children, families, and communities.