Strategies to Support Healthy Relationships for American Indian and Alaska Native Fathers

Publication Date: August 9, 2022
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  • Published: 2022

Introduction

Research Questions

  1. What are strategies fatherhood programs can use to select or adapt curriculum content in fatherhood programs so that it is respectful and relevant to AIAN cultures?
  2. What are strategies fatherhood programs can use to enhance the structure or design of fatherhood programs to promote engagement of AIAN fathers?
  3. What are strategies for integrating the broader AIAN community into fatherhood programs to deepen connections within the program and beyond?

Fathers, children, and families benefit when fathers have healthy coparenting and romantic relationships. Given the importance of healthy relationships, many fatherhood programs address coparenting and romantic relationships in programming and aim to improve skills that are applicable across different types of relationships, including communication, conflict management, and emotional self-regulation. In addition, coparenting and romantic relationships are shaped by a range of contextual factors, such as differing family structures, economic circumstances, and involvement with child welfare and justice systems. Fatherhood programs recognize that families have unique strengths and needs, and they often account for these contextual factors in programming.

For American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) fathers, it is important to consider the diverse cultural traditions, histories, and unique political status of Tribes as sovereign nations. Many AIAN cultures have core teachings and ceremonies that emphasize the importance of respecting and honoring relationships with family, community, and other aspects of one’s environment. At the same time, within Tribal communities, historical trauma has had an indelible impact on fathers’ access to cultural teachings and their strengths related to relationships and family functioning. As such, many Tribal Nations have invested in programs and services that draw on cultural strengths to address past and current traumas and promote positive outcomes. Given that these contextual factors are critical in shaping AIAN fathers’ coparenting and romantic relationships, a similar approach could be valuable in fatherhood programs that serve AIAN fathers.

Purpose

The purpose of this brief is to provide practice-based, contextually relevant strategies that fatherhood programs serving AIAN fathers can use to support their healthy coparenting and romantic relationships.

Methods

The strategies described in this brief are drawn from interviews with three experts in implementing and adapting fatherhood curricula and programs for AIAN populations. The team also used information from interviews with three fathers and one staff member from a fatherhood program that serves predominantly AIAN fathers. These four interviews were conducted from March 2020 through December 2020 as part of the Coparenting and Healthy Relationship and Marriage Education for Dads (CHaRMED) study. Finally, a scan of existing research studies and practice-based resources supplemented information drawn from the interviews.

Recommendations

Based on insights from AIAN experts, fathers, and fatherhood program staff, fatherhood programs may consider adopting the following strategies to select or adapt curriculum content in fatherhood programs so that it is respectful and relevant to AIAN cultures:

  • Include content that highlights and respects the cultures, heritages, beliefs, traditions, and histories of AIAN peoples.
  • Focus on the importance of fathers for child and family well-being before discussing other healthy relationship topics.
  • Acknowledge historical and intergenerational trauma, and include an emphasis on healing.
  • Include an intentional focus on supporting fathers with strained coparenting relationships who may face challenges navigating multiple legal systems.
  • Focus on relationship skills that are applicable across different types of relationships.

Fatherhood programs also may consider using these strategies to enhance the structure or design of fatherhood programs to promote engagement of AIAN fathers:

  • Hire program facilitators who genuinely care about the fathers, have lived experiences similar to those of AIAN fathers, and who are willing to be open and vulnerable about their own lived experiences.
  • Build trust between fathers and with the facilitator before addressing topics like trauma and healthy relationships.
  • Identify leaders within the AIAN community to serve as role models or guest speakers in program sessions.

Fatherhood programs can also use these strategies to integrate the broader AIAN community into fatherhood programs to deepen connections within the program and beyond:

  • Ensure that fatherhood programs engage community members in the design and implementation of programs .
  • Support fathers’ connections to each other outside of the fatherhood program.

Citation

Wilson, April, Griffith, Isabel, Around Him, Deana, Vazzano, Andrea, Ciaravino, Samantha, Richards, Jennifer, Pooley, Albert, Scott, Mindy E. (2022). Strategies to support healthy relationships for American Indian and Alaska Native fathers. OPRE Report #2022-96, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.