Past Practice Projects

Dad son soccer

The Voices ‘n Visions Project. This qualitative investigation was designed to better understand African American fathers’ parenting practices and their visions for father-focused prevention interventions for at-risk, pre-adolescent, male youth. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 African American fathers in the South-Atlantic Region. The fathers self-identified as African American and had at least one biological, pre-adolescent son (8–12 years of age) who was at risk for developing aggressive behaviors, depressive symptomatology, or both. Collectively, the findings highlight the gendered, cultural, familial, and environmental contexts that shape African American fathers’ parenting. This includes fathers’ experiences with, and the importance fathers place on: 1) co-parenting and father-son relationships (Doyle et al. 2014), 2) communication within the co-parental relationship (Doyle et al. 2014), 3) fathers’ roles in disciplining and monitoring their sons (Doyle, Clark, et al. 2015), and 4) teaching their sons values such as responsibility and the importance of education (Doyle, Magan, et al. 2016). Findings also add insights into fathers’ visions for preventive interventions for their sons. The Voices ‘n Visions study was funded through several mechanisms, including an NIMH Diversity Supplement to the IMPACT study (Dr. Doyle, Recipient, 2010-2015; MH081947-01).

Publications:

  • Doyle, O., Cryer-Coupet, Q. R. & McLeod, B. A. (2022). “All about how you couch it:” African American fathers’ visions of interventions for their sons. Journal of Child Family Studies, 31, 2699–2713 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02346-6
  • Doyle, O., *Magan, I., *Cryer-Coupet, Q. R., Goldston, D. B., Estroff, S. E. (2016). “Don’t wait for it to rain to buy an umbrella:” The transmission of values from African American fathers to sons. Psychology of Men and Masculinities, 17(4), 309-319. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/men0000028
  • Doyle, O., Weller, B. E., Daniel, S. S., Mayfield, A., & Goldston, D. B. (2016). Overcoming barriers to fathers’ participation in clinically relevant research: Recommendations from the field. Social Work Research, 40(4), 260-264. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svw015
  • Doyle, O., Clark, T. T., *Cryer-Coupet, Q., Nebbitt, V. E., Goldston, D. B., Estroff, S. E., & *Magan, I. (2015). Unheard voices: African American fathers speak about their parenting practices. Psychology of Men and Masculinities, 16(3), 274-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0038730
  • Doyle, O., *Dzirasa, E., Goldston, D. B., *Fontes, M., Estroff, S. E., & Burris, A. (2014). “You gotta have a good help mate:” African American fathers’ co-parenting experiences. Psychology of Men and Masculinities, 15(4), 377-386. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0034732

Mental Health Profile Black Fathers in the US. This was the first nationally representative study to examine the prevalence and correlates of mental illness and mental health service use among Black fathers in the United States.  Utilizing data come from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), we reported on the prevalence of a range of mental illnesses, prevalence of mental health service use, and correlates of mental illness among African American and Caribbean Black (US-born and foreign-born) fathers.

Publication:

  • Doyle, O., Joe, S., & Caldwell, C. (2012). Ethnic differences in mental illness and mental health service use among Black fathers. American Journal of Public Health, 102(2), S222-231. https://doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2011.300446

Psychological Well Being and African American Youth’s Perceptions of Father Nurturance. This quantitative study examined the impact of perceived father nurturance on various young adult outcomes including self-esteem, depression, empathy, and psychological well-being. This project was sponsored by Center for Maternal and Child Health Social Work/HRSA (Principal Investigator/Faculty Sponsor, Edward Pecukonis, PhD).

Publications: