With dads around, kids are sound : assessing the effects of a fathers' support program with military fathers

The goal of this study was to learn more about the experience of Canadian military fathers who participated in a fathers' support group entitled "With Dads Around, Kids Are Sound." An explorative, semi-structured, qualitative design was applied to gain understanding of the participants' perspectives. The sample consisted of seven military fathers. The researcher also interviewed three wives in an attempt to corroborate some of the findings. The two main reasons that brought fathers into the group were role conflict and wanting to prevent family problems. Based on comments received, the program was found to be effective in supporting military fathers. Key elements noted by participants include normalization, peer support, and learning ways to prevent dysfunctional family patterns. Recommendations to improve the program include making it a continuous opportunity---including a specific chapter on military lifestyle---and being more flexible with the content to allow for more peer support-type discussion. Implications for social work practice, policy, and research are also discussed