The paternity in male single-parent families: the bioecological perspective

Demographic indicators point to the increasing heterogeneity of family arrangements. In single-parent families, men assume unilateral paternity although in a lower number in relation to women. This study aimed to understand the experiences and meanings that fathers in male single-parent families undergo. It was a qualitative study with exploratory method and case study delimitation. Four fathers were analyzed. They had at least an eleven-year-old child under their responsibility for a minimum period of five months. It stands out their distancing from a traditional model of paternity. They performed the parental tasks and tasks traditionally attributed to women with care and affection. The fathers of the present study corroborated that it is possible to build a quality family relationship between father and children in single-parent families. It is important to give visibility and recognition to such families arrangements.