Fathers in the Fields: Father Involvement Among Latino Migrant Farmworkers

A substantial number of Latino farmworkers migrate to the U.S. from Mexico and other Central American countries, many of whom are fathers. This study investigated migrant Latino farmworkers' fathering behaviors, father involvement correlates, and family relationship variables. We analyzed structured interview data from primarily Mexican migrant farmworker fathers (N=192) in North Carolina. Father child phone contact, coparenting cooperation, and relationship quality with children's mothers were interrelated and positively correlated with fathers' closeness to their children. Pre-migration father engagement was negatively correlated with fathers' reported closeness to their children following migration. A positive migration outlook among fathers seemed to connect with more cooperative coparenting and less depressive symptomology. Our fmdings suggest migration for migrant farmwork may still afford men close family relationships given cultural values emphasizing the importance of fathers' financial provision to their family members.