Goals of Childbearing, Perception of a ‘Good Child’ and Paternal Involvement in Childcare among Christian Ethiopian Fathers Living in Addis Ababa and Nashville

Abstract

This study attempted to examine the goals of childbearing, perception of a ‘good child’,and paternal involvement in childcare among Christian Ethiopian fathers in Addis Ababaand Nashville, USA. A sample of 104 fathers was drawn from the two settings (52 fromeach city) to fill in the paternal involvement scales. Findings indicated that the goals of childbearing and perceptions of a ‘good child’ were defined in terms of the scripturalethos putting ‘God’ at the center stage of explanation. Children were regarded as gifts ofGod, and a ‘good child’ is a person with the fear and love of his/her Creator. Fathers considered themselves agents enabling children to grow into these expectations. Functional values of children were the other added reasons of childbearing that somehow differed in the two groups unfolding impacts of cultural contexts. Perception of a ‘goodchild’ still contained values inherent in the Ethiopian culture. However, perception of the Nashville group had also included some values of the American culture suggesting thatthese individuals were in transition. More importantly, paternal involvement was encouragingly transitioning from the ‘availability/ accessibility’ to the ‘responsibility’ dimension of fatherhood, but falling short of the ‘engagement’ dimension. The fathers’engagements in the six dimensions of behaviors followed cultural contexts of the two groups such that the Nashville group reflected the individualistic culture, and the AddisAbaba group exhibited features of collectivism. Fathers’ educational level was alsofound making a difference in these engagements; though effect sizes were not verystrong.