Transitions within fathering

Fathering, Wntr, 2009 by Rob Palkovitz, Glen Palm

Researchers and family theorists have emphasized the transition to fatherhood as a critical juncture in men's development and in their contribution to family well-being through father involvement and physical support. A growing body of theoretical and empirical literature establishes that variability in men's transitions to fatherhood predicts different trajectories and outcomes regarding father involvement and family well-being. However, little or no discussion focuses on men's transitions within fatherhood, which we assert to be more important in affecting father, child and family outcomes than characteristics of the initial transition to fatherhood. This paper synthesizes existing theories of fathering and family transitions and expands them to focus on transitions within fathering. By combining existing theories and research findings, we hope to construct a new lens for viewing factors influencing patterns of father involvement across a man's fathering career. Bringing focus to important transitions within fathering has the potential to generate refined empirical work with the capability for informing parent and family education and support practices.

Keywords: cultural context, fathering, male development, theory, transitions, transitional processes

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Currently, transitions within fathering represent relatively uncharted territory. The purpose of this paper is to further conceptualize and understand the processes and contexts of transitions within fatherhood. Our goal is to offer new insights into understanding how men change and grow through the myriad experiences of fatherhood. The review will first identify important conceptual models and definitions of transitions as related to father development. A rationale for focusing on transitions within fatherhood will be presented with a brief overview of relevant triggers for these transitions. Transitional processes connected to different theoretical perspectives provide potential frameworks for researching transitions. The role of environmental influences on fatherhood transitions will be explored through current public policies in the U.S. that focus on responsible fatherhood. The review ends with a list of possible research questions that could inform current theory and practice issues.

Transitional Beginnings: A Brief Review of the Concept of Transitions in the Life Course Literature

The discussion of transitions within social science literature has become so commonplace, and use of the word "transition" so varied in context and significance that it is instructive to focus on the definitional underpinnings. Tynhurst (1957) suggests that the root meaning of transition is derived from two Latin words meaning "to go across." Webster' s New World Dictionary of the American Language gives a primary definition of transition as "a passing from one condition, form, stage, activity, place, etc. to another." Roget's Thesaurus lists synonyms for transition as "change, shift, turn; turning point." These sources also convey the idea that transitions may be numerous and frequent. However, dictionaries and thesauruses convey popular meanings and not more precise theoretical definitions of transition.

Within the social science research, the term, "transition," is most central to the life course literature. Transitions often occur in response to challenging circumstances, events or conditions: marital affairs, separation, divorce, eviction, moving, accident, business failure, layoff, birth of a child with a disability, serious illness, or injury. Transitions can also occur as a result of events that tend to be viewed more positively: promotions, graduation of a child, birth of another child, moving to a new home, and so forth.

In a chapter critically reviewing and revising the construct of transitions, Philip Cowan (1991) addressed the broad and nonspecific nature of the way that transitions have been discussed in social science literature:

   There are very real problems in the definition of transition. Most
   writers assume that the meaning is so obvious that it requires
   little explanation. Transition is loosely equated with change,
   sometimes qualified by major change. Yet, there are no guidelines
   to distinguish between major and minor change, or definitions of
   that kind of change that should be designated as transitional. If
   continual change implies never ending transition, then the concept
   adds nothing to our understanding of development. (11) In regard to
   this warning, by focusing on transitions within fathering, we do
   not wish to merely convey that fathers are always changing, and
   thus, always in transition. In contrast, we hope to bring focus to
   numerous substantive changes that take place within fathering
   through the life course by applying specific standards to
   conditions that qualify as developmental transitions within
   fathering trajectories. (p. 4, emphasis in original)

Cowan proposed a "new definition" of individual and family transitions to reduce ambiguity in the use of the term "transition" in the social science literature. In doing so, he conceptualized two different components that must co-exist before change can be considered to be truly transitional. For a transition to occur, both cognitive and behavioral adjustments need to be made by the individual experiencing the transition.