Fatherhood and unemployment: Involvement characteristics and family relations

Abstract

This research sought to verify the characteristics and significant factors of paternal involvement in families with unemployed fathers of school age children, regarding sociodemographic aspects, family relationships and father’s depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 188 men, users of the employment agency FGTAS (Fundação Gaúcha de Trabalho e Ação Social) – SINE of São Leopoldo/RS and Porto Alegre/RS. The majority of the fathers had been unemployed for three months, married or in a stable relationship, age between 20 and 56 years old. Data collection included Socio Demographic Inventory, Father Involvement Inventory, Beck Depressive Inventory and the Familiogram. Regarding father involvement, it was observed that factors such as level of education, financial help and helping family income through temporary jobs were associated with greater involvement with children. A more affective relationship with the wife and children also resulted in greater father involvement. In turn, depressed fathers had more conflict with wife and child, confirming the importance of emotional state to the quality of family relations. The findings reflect the need of public policies geared to assist workers and their families in unemployment situation. Conditions to deal with this adverse situation rely on emotional and financial support that family net will be able to provide to fathers during this period of time.

Key words: father involvement, depression, unemployment.