Fathers
Methods
Data collection will occur with 9th grade Latino and African American boys and their fathers or father figures. Six hundred adolescent boys and their fathers or father figures will be interviewed at three data collection points over the course of the three-year longitudinal data collection. The study design is a 2 [Father figure (biological vs. non-biological father figure)] X 2 [Ethnicity (Latino vs. African American)] factorial, with 50 father figure/son pairs per cell per site (OK, CA, NC) yielding a total of 600 father figure/son pairs. Initially 800 father/son pairs will be surveyed, which our pilot studies show will decrease due to attrition by 10% in the second wave (T2 N= 720) and again by 15% in the third wave (T3 N = 612).
Three waves of data collection will follow father figures and sons on a yearly basis (from 9th through 11th grades) allowing an understanding of these relationships through the years where delinquent behaviors are most prevalent.
Non-biological father figures will not be required to be married to nor romantically involved with the mother of the child. Yet, these men must be considered by sons to be the principal father figures who have been present in the boys’ lives for at least one year prior to the first wave of data collection. Father figures and sons must be of the same ethnicity to allow for within group analyses. The survey questionnaires include both qualitative and quantitative measures, including standardized measurement tools (e.g., CRPBI) and open-ended questions.
This mixed method design (surveys, open ended questions, census data, and school data) can allow for a triangulation of methods (Neuman, 2003). Also, a triangulation of measures on the key variables is utilized. For example, for youth violence outcomes, three scales are used (as shown in the measurement section) and both father figures’ and sons' reports on these measures will be gathered. We will also collect data from schools on the adolescent’s classroom behaviors from student report cards.