Patterns and Predictors of Involvement Among Fathers of Children Born to Adolescent Mothers

Father involvement may be an important support for children born to adolescent mothers. This study examines patterns and predictors of father involvement, as reported by adolescent mothers, from their child's infancy through toddlerhood. Data were collected from urban, primarily African American, adolescent mothers (N = 138) in four interviews, over a 24-month period. The percentage of fathers categorized as "highly involved'' decreased significantly from baseline to 12-month follow-up and was stable through 24 months. The romantic status of the mother-father relationship was the strongest predictor of whether father involvement was consistently high, consistently low, or decreased over time.