The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare

This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org/

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) - Detailed Report

Scientific Rating:
4
Lacks Adequate Research Evidence
See scale of 1-6
Scientific Rating:
4 - Lacks Adequate Research Evidence
On a scale of 1-6

Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
2
Medium
See scale of 1-3
Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
2 - Medium
On a scale of 1-3

Type of Maltreatment: Not specified

Target Population: Primarily low-income families.

Brief Description:

Supporting Family Involvement (SFI) has been rated by the CEBC in the area of Motivation and Engagement. SFI is a preventive intervention designed to enhance fathers’ positive involvement with their children. The curriculum is based on an empirically-validated family risk model. This model predicts that children’s development is predicted by risks and buffers in five interconnected domains:

  • family members’ characteristics
  • 3-generational expectations and relationship patterns
  • quality of parent-child relationship
  • quality of parents’ relationship
  • balance of stressors versus social support for the family.

The curriculum highlights the potential contributions fathers make to the family. The program is aimed at strengthening fathers’ involvement in the family, promoting healthy child development, and preventing key factors implicated in child abuse.

Please fill out this form to send us feedback on the rating of Supporting Father Involvement (SFI). Starred fields are required.

Provisional feedback form not available in printout. Please access the website to use the form.

Essential Components

Show Essential Components

  • The curriculum targets 5 aspects of family life for intervention to enhance fathers’ involvement:
      -both partners’ individual well-being
      -the quality of the relationship between the parents
      -the quality of relationship between parent and child
      -breaking negative cycles across generations
      -coping with life stress and enhancing social support
  • Group structure follows a curriculum but includes open-ended discussion of personal and family issues. This is not a skills training program that teaches participants that there is only one correct way to be a family.
  • Leaders are trained mental health professionals, ideally license eligible.
  • Cultural sensitivity is maintained in intervention approach, language, and curriculum materials.
  • Meetings are held at dinnertime to meet schedules of working families. Food provided.
  • Childcare is provided.
  • Case management is provided for all families.

Group Format

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was designed to be conducted in a group.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) has been tested for use in a group setting.

Testing references:

Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2007). An approach to preventing coparenting conflict and divorce in low-income families: Strengthening couple relationships and fostering fathers' involvement. Family Process, 46(1), 109-121.

The recommended group size is: Recommended for groups of 4-8 couples or 10-12 fathers, with two leaders.

Recommended Parameters

Recommended intensity: Two-hour long weekly group meetings. Case management contact advisable.

Recommended duration: 16 weeks.

Homework

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) includes a homework component.

Description: Follow-ups on the exercises and discussions in each group.

Delivery Setting

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) is typically conducted in a(n): Community Agency and School.

Parent Component

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was designed with a Parent Component.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms: Problems in parent-child, couple, and three-generational relationships.

Child Component

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was designed with a Child Component.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms: Children of fathers with parent-child, couple, or three-generational relationships.

Age range(s): 0-11

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was not developed for children with developmental delays.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) has not been tested for children with developmental delays.

Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was designed for specific racial/ethnic/cultural groups.

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) was not tested in specific racial/ethnic/cultural groups.

Specific Groups: Latino, African American, White low-income families

Education and Training Resources

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program.

There is training available for Supporting Father Involvement (SFI).

Training contact: Philip A. Cowan, University of California, Berkeley, pcowan@berkeley.edu, 510-643-5608, fax 510-526-5745 or check out the training available on http://familyresourcecenters.net/

Number of days/hours: Informal consultation currently available

Training is obtained: Information consultation currently available

There currently are not additional qualified resources for training.

Identified Resources Necessary to Implement Program

The typical resources for implementing Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) are: Meeting room space adequate for groups of 10-18 adult participants and leaders. Additional space for providing childcare has been very much appreciated by staff and parents.

Minimum Provider Qualifications

Group leaders need clinical training at the Master's Level or equivalent - licensed or license-eligible. Supervisors must be licensed mental health professionals.

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Show Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) is rated a "4 – Lacks Adequate Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale because it lacks published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of a 3, 2, or 1; however it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs rated a 4 may have some published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have other studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the rating of a “4 – Lacks Adequate Research Evidence,” please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Supporting Father Involvement (SFI).


References

Show References

Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2005). Encouraging strong relationships between fathers and children. Working Strategies, 8(4), 1-11.

Cowan, C. P., Cowan, P. A., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2007). An approach to preventing coparenting conflict and divorce in low-income families: Strengthening couple relationships and fostering fathers' involvement. Family Process, 46(1), 109-121.

Cowan, P. A., Cowan, C. P., Cohen, N., Pruett, M. K., & Pruett, K. (2008). Supporting fathers' engagement with their kids. In J. D. Berrick & N. Gilbert (Eds.), Raising children: Emerging needs, modern risks, and social responses (pp. 44-80). New York: Oxford University Press.


Contact Information

Contact name: Philip A. Cowan

Affiliation/Agency: University of California, Berkeley

Email: pcowan@berkeley.edu

Phone: 510-643-5608

Fax: 510-526-5745

Date reviewed: June 2008