The relationship between father involvement and a child's self-esteem, 1998

This thesis investigated the relationship between father involvement and a child's self esteem. More specifically, this study analyzed the level or degree of father involvement on a child's self-esteem. The research began August of 1997 and ended January of 1998. The sample population consisted of twenty five (25) fathers, along with their children, who participated in a fatherhood program, who reside in Atlanta Georgia, and who came from demographically diversified families and socioeconomic levels. In investigating this relationship two measures of the Individualized Rating Scales (1RS) wrere used, the Self Rating Scale (SRS) and the Observer Rating Scale (ORS). Both scales were set up in the 1-3 Likert scale format. These measures w'ere tailored for individual family members to evaluate their feelings about other persons or themselves. The ORS and the 1RS scales were designed for the fathers to measure their level of involvement with their children. The 1RS was also personalized for the children to establish a logical and empirical connection between their self-esteem and their associated feelings. Hence, the overall purpose was to observe the level of self-esteem of the child. The research revealed positive changes in the self-esteem of the children when measured against an ascending measure of father involvement in the lives of their children. This study was designed to provide a clearer understanding of a particular component that might contribute to a child's self-esteem, that is, a father's involvement. Moreover, this study suggests guidelines for future social work research as well as predicting factors to consider when exploring the level of self-esteem in a child