TY - JOUR
T1 - The Reconstruction of Fatherhood Across Two Generations
T2 - From Experiences of Deficiency, Strictness, Precocious Maturity, and Distance to Indulgence, Permissiveness, and Intimacy
AU - Bar-On, Inbal Kivenson
AU - Scharf, Miri
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2014, The Author(s) 2014.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - This study addresses the similarities and differences in fatherhood across two generations, relying on the experiences of fathers and their sons. Twenty representative father and son dyads were selected from a larger sample of participants in a longitudinal study examining the leaving home transition in Israel. The fathers and their sons were interviewed about their attachment relationships using the Adult Attachment Interview. Fathers were also interviewed about their parenting via the Parenting Representations Interview–Adolescence. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Four central themes of intergenerational transmission, mostly reflecting differences rather than similarities across the two generations, were identified: from poverty and shortage to indulgence, from strictness and respect to permissiveness, from precocious maturity to normative development, and from distance to intimacy and closeness. Fathers appear to want to provide their sons with experiences that they missed as children. They appear to be successful in these endeavors, yet surprised by some of the unforeseen outcomes, such as their sons being spoiled and manipulative.
AB - This study addresses the similarities and differences in fatherhood across two generations, relying on the experiences of fathers and their sons. Twenty representative father and son dyads were selected from a larger sample of participants in a longitudinal study examining the leaving home transition in Israel. The fathers and their sons were interviewed about their attachment relationships using the Adult Attachment Interview. Fathers were also interviewed about their parenting via the Parenting Representations Interview–Adolescence. Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Four central themes of intergenerational transmission, mostly reflecting differences rather than similarities across the two generations, were identified: from poverty and shortage to indulgence, from strictness and respect to permissiveness, from precocious maturity to normative development, and from distance to intimacy and closeness. Fathers appear to want to provide their sons with experiences that they missed as children. They appear to be successful in these endeavors, yet surprised by some of the unforeseen outcomes, such as their sons being spoiled and manipulative.
KW - adolescents
KW - father–child relationship
KW - intergenerational
KW - life course
KW - qualitative
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84959170275&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X14528712
DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X14528712
M3 - Article
SN - 0192-513X
VL - 37
SP - 645
EP - 670
JO - Journal of Family Issues
JF - Journal of Family Issues
IS - 5
ER -