Predicting early fatherhood and whether young fathers live with their children: Prospective findings and policy reconsiderations

This prospective study of a birth cohort addressed three questions. Which i ndividual and family-of-origin characteristics predict the age at which you ng men make the transition to fatherhood? Do these same characteristics pre dict how long young men live with their child? Are individual differences i n the amount of time fathers spend living with their child associated with the father's psychosocial characteristics in young adulthood? In this uniqu e study, it was found that by age 26,19 % of the 499 study men had become f athers. Individual and family-of-origin characteristics were assessed from birth until age 15 and contemporaneous characteristics were assessed at age 26, Young men who experienced a stressful rearing environment and a histor y of conduct problems were more likely to become fathers at an early age an d to spend less time living with their child. Of those who experienced none of the risk factors, fewer than 10 % had become fathers by age 26 compared to more than 60 % of those who experienced five risk factors. Fathers who lived apart from their child reported the most social and psychological dif ficulties in young adulthood. These findings point to individual and family -of-origin characteristics that might be targeted in order to delay fatherh ood and increase levels of paternal involvement. However, given their troub led life histories and poor social-psychological adjustment in young adulth ood, some absent fathers might have difficulties providing positive parenti ng and partnering unless policy initiatives to promote intact families also support young fathers.