'Being There:' The Perception of Fatherhood Among a Group of African American Adolescent Fathers

Most of the research on adolescent fathers has been based on quantitative data. However qualitative data is necessary to put this data into context. For this research study, ten African American adolescent males from a large midwestern urban area were recruited for this study. Information was gathered using a structured interview procedure which typically lasted for three hours. The young men ranged in age from 15-19 years, and their children ranged in age from six weeks to just under three years old. All the young men had been dating their baby's mothers for at least one year prior to pregnancy.

Interviews were analyzed for common themes. The themes of "being there," responsibility to their child, and the influence of their own fathers were the most common. Obstacles to being fathers included their relationships with both their baby's mothers and her family, and problems with social institutions. Implications of these data are discussed.