Supporting Involved Fathering of Young Children in Croatia: Evaluation of the "Growing Up Together Fathers' Club"

Abstract

Contemporary literature on parenting support programmes
advocates for greater engagement of fathers and a stronger
evidence base of the programmes' effectiveness. This study
examines the outcomes of the parenting support programme
"Growing Up Together Fathers' Club" conducted through four
weekly workshops with fathers of young children. A pre-post
intervention comparison of self-reported data from 238 fathers
who completed the programme in 25 sites throughout Croatia
revealed an increase in parental self-efficacy, positive involvement with the child and attempted understanding of the child's
perspective, and a decrease in harsh parenting and violence to
the child after the programme. Participants' educational level
did not moderate the results. Qualitative data provide insight
into perceived programme benefits for fathers and their
children as well as suggestions for programme improvement.