An Ecological Approach to Understanding Father Involvement
Abstract
This analysis addresses the perceived lack of father involvement using Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model. Several factors are discussed in hopes of better understanding what promotes or hinders father development. Considerable attention is given to understanding the experiences of African American fathers and the systems that may be at work when it comes to their involvement and engagement with their children. An ecological model is important in this regard because, it takes into account a myriad of factors that other theories may not consider. Following a thorough summary of this ecological perspective, suggestions for further study and implications are discussed.