The Paternal Behaviors Fostering Academic Success in African American Homes

Academic achievement gaps for African American children have been associated with disparities in early cognitive development, inequitable access to high-quality education, and father absence, often resulting in lower rates of graduation. Examining ways that may mitigate this problem is important to families and educators. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine behaviors of African American fathers to determine if their presence had an effect on the academic success of their children. The conceptual theories that guided the study were paternal identity and parental investment. The research questions investigated the behaviors of African American fathers and how these behaviors were seen to be fostering success in their homes. Data were collected from 10 African American fathers whose children were maintaining an average of 80% or higher in all subject areas as indicated on their report cards. Data were analyzed using a coding system assisted by the MAXQDA 10 qualitiative software program, and revealed significant commonalities among the paternal behaviors of the fathers. These common paternal behaviors formed an original working model of parenting: The Eight Paternal Behaviors Fostering Academic Success consisting of reflecting, adjusting, partnering, adapting, prioritizing, coordinating, communicating, and building. Findings indicated these 8 paternal behaviors fostered academic success, and African American father presence was a relevant factor in the education of their children. Findings may promote social change by providing a model of parenting for African American fathers who are seeking ways to become more involved in their children's education and for school personnel who are seeking ways to improve parent involvement programs.