Date of Award

8-2004

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Campus-Only Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Human Development

Advisor

Mary Ellin Logue

Second Committee Member

Sandra L. Caron

Third Committee Member

Jodelle Austin

Abstract

This study explores the nature of fathers' involvement in their preschool children's everday life with a small number of fathers (n=11) whose preschool children are enrolled in the University of Maine child care centers. Specifically, this study explored the father's involvement with his child's daily routines, extra curricular and play activities, some of the reported differences between father-son and father-daughter relationships and their shared activities with each, and the father's own beliefs in fatherhood, including both his own experience as a father and his experience as a son with his own father. The results of the study add new information about the importance of understanding fathers and appreciating their desire to be very involved in their children's life. The results of this study were analyzed using both descriptive and qualitative statistics. Implications, further research and limitations of this study are discussed.

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