The parenthood experience in midlife in the perspective of fathers, mothers and their children

• Grant number: 15/02166-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Manoel Antônio dos Santos
• Grantee: Mayara Colleti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The concept of paternity and its experience became targets of intense investigation by the scientific literature in the early 70's. The said studies highlight the accelerated process of structural and organizational changes that happened both in family and in society, redefining completely the current understanding on paternity. Although there is much discussion on the theme, when age is concerned, most studies focus on teenage parents' experience and their relationship with their children and companions. Considering this panorama and gap in literature, the present study aims to understand the parenthood experience in midlife, through the perspective of fathers, mothers and children involved. This is an exploratory, descriptive and transversal study, based on the qualitative research approach. Will take part of this study three families in which the man has become a father for the first time in the age group of 40 to 50 years and his child is older than five years, thus enabling the inclusion of the parenting couple (mother and father) and their biological child. The instruments used for collecting data will be (a) semi-structured interview script to be used with the father; (b) semi-structured interview script to be used with the mother; (c) semi-structured interview script to be used with the child (older than 12 years); Family Drawing (FD) for children younger than 12 years old; (e) Genogram applied to all family members; (f) Field journal. The material will be submitted to thematic content analysis. The Genogram and the Family Drawing will be applied and evaluated according to the norms of application and the evaluating procedures preconized by literature. The data will be organized through an articulation and triangulation of the obtained material on the different sources of data. The analysis and interpretation of the findings will be based upon the available literature on paternity. This study seeks, through the fathers', mothers' and children's accounts, to understand the paternity experience in midlife in the perspective of several protagonists of the family scenery, thus contributing to an argumentation based on theoretical conjecture that will give the necessary support for discussions regarding parenthood and its vicissitudes in this stage of the life cycle. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

COLLETI, Mayara. The experience of fatherhood in middle-age from the perspective of fathers, mothers and their children.. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.