Life Stories of Young Fathers in Contexts of Vulnerability

In 1984, Belsky identified dimensions that have an influence on parental conduct: developmental history, personality, marital relations, work, social network, and child characteristics. The objectives of this article are to examine Belsky’s model in relation to a sample of 17 young fathers in contexts of vulnerability and to better understand parenting determinants based on the findings of a qualitative study. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted asking these fathers about their individual, professional, and co-parental histories and about fathering. The results reveal that despite an unstable individual history, most fathers stay in contact with their children, even after a marital separation. The quality of the relationship with the mother of origin and the support from their children’s mother seem to have an impact on father involvement.