An Exploration of Aspects of Boundary Ambiguity Among Young, Unmarried Fathers During the Prenatal Period

• Author: Randall Leite
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2007.00449.x
• Published date: 01 April 2007
• Date: 01 April 2007

An Exploration of Aspects of Boundary Ambiguity

Among Young, Unmarried Fathers During the

Prenatal Period

Randall Leite*

Abstract: This research represents an exploration of patterns of boundary ambiguity among poor, young, unmarried

men and their reproductive partners. Interviews were conducted with men and their partners during the third tri-

mester of pregnancy. Interviews focused on patterns of men’s physical and psychological presence in relationships

with their partners and in activities associated with pregnancy and prenatal care. Patterns of presence among fathers-

to-be are identified and factors associated with those patterns are explored. Patterns of presence reflect degrees of

physical and psychological presence in relation to pregnancy and the father role. These patterns reflect the influence

of various social and emotional dimensions that impact a man’s transition to the new father role and raise a number

of policy and practice issues.

Key Words: boundary ambiguity, fatherhood, fathers.

Thirty-five percent of births today occur to un-

married mothers. A disproportionate number of

these mothers are poor, young, unmarried women

(Hamilton, Martin, & Sutton, 2004). It has been

suggested that children born to unmarried mothers

are four times more likely to have an absent father

than children born to married mothers (Clarke,

Cooksey, & Verropoulou, 1998).

Although there is growing attention to factors

and processes that may contribute to young fathers

disengaging from involvement with their children,

there has been little explicit attention to prenatal

influences on subsequent disengagement. As rates of

nonmarital childbearing have grown, however, there

has been considerable concern among policymakers

and practitioners over patterns of child involvement

among unmarried fathers and potentially negative

child outcomes associated with a lack of father

involvement. This concern has been conveyed to the

author in conversations with state and federal legisla-

tors (M. Dewine, personal communication, March

21, 2005; R. Gardner, personal communication,

October 10, 2006; R. Latta, personal communica-

tion, November 5, 2006; L. Wachtmann, personal

communication, October 1, 2002). It is also evident

in various statewide initiatives in states such as Ala-

bama (h ttp://www.dhr.state.al.us/page.asp?pageid=427),

Connecticut (http://www.fatherhoodinitiative.state.

ct.us/), Wisconsin (http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/

wifatherhood/), Iowa (http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/

fatherhood/), and Georgia (http://www.state.ga.

us/GAFatherhood/index.html) among others as well

as the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services’ Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Initia-

tive (www.fatherhood.hhs.gov).

Fatherhood incorporates aspects of men’s moti-

vations, behaviors, and internalized images of them-

selves as fathers (Day, Lewis, O’Brien, & Lamb,

2005). It has been suggested that, more than moth-

ering, fathering is sensitive to contextual influences

(Doherty, Kouneski, & Erickson, 1998). Thus, it is

important to consider fathering in situated contexts

(Arditti, Smock, & Parkman, 2005); in particular,

aspects of those contexts that may serve to limit

*Randall Leite is an Assistant Professor, Human Development and Family Studies Program, Bowling Green State University, 206 Johnston Hall, Bowling Green,

OH 43403 (rleite@bgsu.edu).

Family Relations, 56 (April 2007), 162–174. Blackwell Publishing.

Copyright 2007 by the National Council on Family Relations.