Elements of Promising Practices in Fatherhood Programs: Evidence-Based Research Findings on Interventions for Fathers

Over the last two decades there has been an increased societal and academic interest in the role of fathers, as well as promoting responsible fatherhood in families and communities. In turn, this interest has given rise to an increasing number of fatherhood interventions. Although many programs to support fatherhood exist, they often differ in terms of their goals, target populations, designs, methods of implementation and assessment. This article reviews key evaluation findings from fatherhood programs that have been rigorously evaluated (i.e., used random assignment design) in order to answer questions about “what works” in fatherhood programs. In so doing, it identifies elements of promising practice in programs considered effective. Conclusions about the state of research on the effectiveness of fatherhood interventions are also presented.