The Importance of Father Involvement

Father involvement describes a supportive relationship with high-quality interactions between a father and child. This brief highlights the importance of helping fathers maintain a healthy relationship with their children by describing the links between father involvement and positive child outcomes across the life course; for example, some of the many benefits of father involvement for children include higher levels of academic success, less gendered beliefs, and improved self-esteem and emotional stability. In contrast, this brief also outlines the consequences of limited father involvement, such as increased behavioral problems in school and a higher likelihood of becoming a teen parent.