Black Dad Shine: A Concept Mapping Approach to Identifying the Qualities of Black Father Flourishing

Black Dad Shine: A Concept Mapping Approach to Identifying the Qualities of Black Father Flourishing | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Black Dad Shine: A Concept Mapping Approach to Identifying the Qualities of Black Father Flourishing Paula Marie Powe, Amber Tan, Thea Crossett, Aki Jamal Durham, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Black men in America face systemic and structural barriers that have persisted for years. These barriers create inequities that can negatively affect their physical and mental wellbeing and their fatherhood and family experiences. Previous research on Black fathers has highlighted deficits, with minimal studies focused on solutions, particularly as conceptualized by Black men themselves. Based in health equity, the current study utilized concept mapping, a community-based participatory research method, to assess what Black men in America need to flourish in the socioecological context in which they live. Black participants (n = 9), from a pre-established community advisory board that is working on a peer intervention to address early childhood adversity and toxic stress in the Black community, brainstormed 60 unique items associated with Black father flourishing and grouped these items into 6 unique clusters. Two clusters focused on Black men seeing themselves, their purpose, and their fatherhood role in a positive light (Positive Internal Mindset; Purposeful Leadership), 2 focused on healthy relationships (Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth; Receptivity to Influence), 1 focused on the tools necessary to build and maintain healthy relationships (Tools of Relational Engagement), and 1 focused on equitable access to external resources (Gatekeeper-less Resources). Participants ranked “a sense of purpose” and “positive self-image" as most important to Black father flourishing and “mentorship” and “encouragement” as the most feasible to address through a peer intervention. By centering the voices of Black men and those who support them, this study highlights stakeholder priorities about best practices for Black fatherhood. Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Introduction Black men in America face unique challenges in their lives because of the historical roots, and present-day consequences, of systemic racism. 1 Systematic oppression, entrenched in economic, educational, legal, and criminal justice systems, continues to disproportionately affect Black men. As examples, Black men are twice as likely to be unemployed, five and a half times more likely to be incarcerated, and around a third less likely to receive a Bachelor’s degree when compared to their White counterparts. 2–4 These historical through present day experiences are sustaining and worsening the resource and health inequities that affect Black men. 5,6 Even after adjusting for education, workforce experience, region, and population density, Black men still earn 22% less than White men, 7 and research indicates that this is partially due to racial discrimination. 8 Black boys’ exposure to community violence, one of the negative consequences of racial housing segregation, ranges from 50% to as a high as 96%, 9 and persists at a significantly higher rate at each income level for Black youth relative to their White counterparts. 10 Effects on Black Men’s Health These experiences and resulting inequities have notable, deleterious impacts on Black men’s health and psychological wellbeing. As of 2021, the life expectancy of Black men was 5.5 years less than White men, 11 and minority health stress models have robustly linked the connection between stressors from systemic racism, psychosocial outcomes, and health disparities among Black Americans. 12 Regarding mental health, racial discrimination has been positively associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 13,14 social anxiety, and depression, 15 and Black men are more likely to develop more severe, chronic symptoms that go untreated. 16 Subsequently, some Black men resort to alcohol or substance use as a form of self-medication and coping, 17,18 as well as John Henryism (the strategy of working harder and longer in response to discrimination), 19 experience heightened hypervigilance, 9 and/or socially withdraw. 20 Relationally, social isolation, which has a well-known correlation to all-cause mortality, 21 is also greater among Black men than any other race or gender group. Stress response frameworks suggest that while such coping strategies are adaptive in the short term for Black men living in harsh, unpredictable environments, they have deleterious health outcomes in the long run. 9,19 Trickle-Down Effects The effects of such stressors are pervasive, influencing Black men’s fatherhood experience and, consequently, Black children, Black families, and the Black community as a whole. For instance, around half of incarcerated Black men are fathers, 22 and significant impacts of this include limited paternal involvement, communication, and contact with their children. 23 Such absence from children’s lives, especially during infancy and early childhood, precludes Black fathers from making meaningful contributions to child development, including in the socioemotional 24 and cognitive realms 25 that increase school readiness and set the foundation for academic success and future upward mobility. Paternal incarceration also decreases overall family income and leads to a greater risk of childhood poverty and homelessness. 26 A Black father’s contact with his children may also be limited by his financial situation. Only about 50% of Black men live full-time with their children, 27 and many non-custodial Black fathers are legally responsible for making child support payments regardless of their carceral, employment, or economic status. 28 States favor higher child support payments because they reduce overall state assistance to families, 28 and low-income fathers typically have higher child support rates than middle or upper-income fathers. 29 Black fathers view a large part of their fatherhood role as being a provider and in instances when they are unable to pay, they can feel, or be made to feel, shame and disillusionment that keeps them estranged from their children and/or the mother of their children. 30,31 Although quantitative studies examining depression in Black fathers are scant, Sinkewicz and Lee 32 found that the 12-month prevalence of a major depressive episode is one and a half times higher among Black fathers than Black men in the general population. In another study, paternal depression, particularly in low-income fathers, was found to be associated with child neglect and harsh parenting (e.g., corporal punishment). 33 While these practices are indeed true aspects of childhood maltreatment, they are often viewed in isolation and without consideration of the psychological footprint that decades of oppression left on Black families. In reality, such maltreatment has roots in slavery and is associated with the normalization of internalized racism, intergenerational trauma, and interpersonal violence within the greater community. 34 Traditional Approaches Lack Solutions Prior research examining the state of Black men or Black fathers in America has often taken a pathologizing, deficit-based approach. 35 Instead of the socioecological condition of Black men and the Black community being framed as a collective plight and consequence of structural racism (e.g., chattel slavery, Jim Crow laws, redlining 18 ), it has often been unjustly viewed as individual failures, where those who have not managed to “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” are found to be lacking. Subsequently, there remains a gap in understanding the capacity of Black men and the Black community to create solutions for themselves. To contribute to a small, but growing, literature based in strength-based Black fatherhood studies, the current study engages the Black community to understand their needs in the context of their lived experiences with ongoing systemic discrimination. We utilized a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method 36 to center Black men’s voices, which is essential to learning how to best support them and leverage individual and community assets. Methods This study assessed the qualities associated with Black father flourishing using concept mapping, a participatory method that integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods to create visual displays of community members’ perspectives. 37 Concept mapping shifts the locus of control in research by inviting community stakeholders to be engaged in each step of the study pipeline, from data generation to interpreting and implementing data analyses into program development and has seen wide-spread success in public health program development and adaptations. 38 We employed concept mapping as part of a broader CBPR project focused on intervention development to address racial health disparities in Black youth that are experienced secondary to early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Members of a pre-established Community Advisory Board (CAB) served as participants in this study and met bimonthly in hybrid (in-person and virtual) meetings from April 2023 to November 2023. Our application of concept mapping included 5 steps: (1) preparation, (2) generation, (3) structuring, (4) representation, and (5) interpretation, as well as planning for step 6: utilization and action. 37 The University of [redacted] Institutional Review Board deemed this research protocol to be exempt. Preparation (Step 1) The first author prepared the following focal prompt to guide the current concept mapping study: “ Black fathers in America need ______ to be the best that they can be for themselves and their children .” Additionally, participant recruitment for the CAB was determined in the preparation step. Each member was personally invited to be involved in the broader CBPR project by the first author because of their demonstrated commitment to promoting the health of Black families, as well as their life and career experience. Their areas of expertise included Black fatherhood, father- and motherhood advocacy, community leadership and education, fatherhood program coordination, Infant Mental Health, gun violence prevention, Marriage and Family therapy, player development in the National Football League (NFL), and prison reentry programming. Further demographic details are found in Table 1. Notably, the CAB members were primarily married (62.5%), had children in the age range of 10-19 (40.0%), and were 50 and older (50.0%). Data Collection and Analyses Generation (Step 2) The Generation step involves collecting a list of items that fill in the blank of the provided focal prompt. This step began during the last 60 minutes of the first in-person CAB meeting, and the research team wrote individual responses on a whiteboard in real-time and asked for clarification as needed. For example, one item, “Fruit of the Spirit,” was expanded into 9 items (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) in line with the Biblical reference of Galatians 5:22-23. The generated list of 29 items was then uploaded to the online Concept Mapping platform, The Concept System® GroupWisdom™, and each CAB member was asked to add 3-5 additional responses. 39 Asynchronous online brainstorming continued on this platform for several weeks. In all, eight CAB members participated in this step and, after duplicate items were removed and related items were consolidated, a final set of 60 items was generated. Structuring (Step 3) The Structuring step includes two sets of activities, where participants individually sort and rate the items in the final list. The sorting and rating activities were completed both in a hybrid meeting (in-person and zoom), as well as asynchronously online within the GroupWisdom™ platform. 39 For the sorting activity, participants arranged the 60 items into thematic piles that made the most sense to them, ensuring that there were at least three piles and that each pile had more than one item. To assess importance and feasibility, participants were then asked to respond to the following rating questions, “How important is this item for Black fathers to be the best that they can be for themselves and their children? ” and “How easy would it be to address this item in a mentorship group for Black fathers?” . Both questions were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with “1” being “not very important” and “not very easy”, and “5” being “extremely important” and “extremely easy”, respectively. Nine CAB members completed the sorting activity and feasibility rating, and eight completed the importance rating. Representation and Analyses (Step 4) The representation and analyses step involves quantitatively analyzing participant’s sorting and rating data via the GroupWisdom™ platform to create visual maps (e.g. the point map and cluster map). 39 The point map is derived through multidimensional scaling (MDS) and demonstrates how frequently items were sorted together. Items that are frequently sorted together are considered similar by the group and are thus grouped closer together on the point map. Conversely, items that are not frequently sorted together are considered different by the group and are thus spaced further apart on the point map. A stress value was calculated to ensure an acceptable goodness of fit between the point map and the data. The lower the stress value, the better the fit. The present study’s point map produced a stress value of .32, which is below the .39 cutoff recommended by Kane & Trochim. 40 The cluster map employs hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to partition the point map items into clusters, which capture groups of items that are thematically similar. We performed two additional sets of analyses to further probe the data. The first is pattern-matching, which compares average cluster ratings across scales (importance and feasibility). The second are go-zone plots, which are bi-variate comparisons of items within a cluster. Both utilize Pearson’s correlation (r) for these comparisons and such analyses will be leveraged in the final utilization phase (step 6). Interpretation (Step 5) For the interpretation step, eight CAB members met in a recorded, hybrid meeting and were presented with the finalized cluster map. The lead author facilitated CAB member discussion on connections between items within each cluster and the meaning of any outliers. Additionally, cluster names were generated by CAB members and later narrowed down by the research team. Two CAB member co-leaders met with researchers and came to a consensus on the final cluster names. Results Overall, 60 brainstormed items were created in the Generation step (Table 2). A potential range (3-15) of clusters were generated from these items in GroupWisdom™ during the Representation and Analyses step. 39 Based on previous discussions with participants during earlier CM steps, the research team chose a 6-cluster configuration map to meaningfully represent the data. The finalized cluster map with CAB member-generated cluster names is found in Figure 1. Cluster descriptions, along with thematic ideas and connections generated by CAB member discussion from the Interpretation step, are found below. Cluster 1. Gatekeeper-Less Resources (11 items) Cluster 1 contains resources, such as financial literacy (9), rehabilitation (54), safety (46), that are primarily and historically gatekept from Black men broadly and Black fathers specifically, even though they are a necessity for them to thrive. One participant distinguishes this cluster from the others by explaining: “I need someone else to willingly give me. I cannot force them to give it, I can protest when I’m not being given it, but I cannot really force their hand…there’s a little less hope connected to the theme...because this is...primarily externally driven”. Cluster 2. Tools of Relational Engagement (9 items) Cluster 2 encompasses ways to positively engage with relationships and relationship-building skills (e.g., co-parents, community, children). Example items include conflict resolution skills (20), discipline (56), communication skills (34), and empathy (58). Additionally, an important distinction was made between engagement and communication during discussion. As one participant notes: “Engaging is beyond just communicating. It’s your follow-through after, it’s your actions, it’s your planning”. Cluster 3. Receptivity to Influence (11 items) Cluster 3 contains items that would promote and facilitate Black father engagement with the proposed mentorship program. Example items include connectedness (60), intentional dads (16), and kindness (7). Discussion was centered on characteristics that facilitate mentee receptiveness, including providing an environment that is receptive, and, in turn, a mentee’s willingness to listen. Cluster 4. Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth (5 items) Cluster 4 describes the foundation of what a mentorship-mentee relationship would look like in the proposed mentorship program. CAB discussion was centered on what makes these relationships meaningful and effective and how to do so. For example, one participant describes the difference between successful and failed mentorships: “You can tell who moves in a certain way, you can tell who bops a certain way, like they got a big homie. And if you ain’t got a big homie, you just out here doing whatever, listening to teachers that don’t come from where you come from...[Telling] you… like here play some basketball, here play some videogames...they aren’t really focusing on you… they’re just like: here stay out of trouble. That’s it. You’re not really purposing your “stay out of trouble”. They’re not really giving you goals”. Cluster 5. Positive Internal Mindset (10 items) Cluster 5 describes the internal reflections needed to cultivate a positive internal mindset. This includes items such as positive self-image, vulnerability, and acceptance. Importantly, such items can only be achieved and controlled by the individual themselves. As one participant puts, “I really do want to emphasize that this is about you...it’s about what is in your power and what you need and what you have control over and... you can do it. You don’t need this external validation or input of someone else”. Cluster 6. Purposeful Leadership (14 items) Cluster 6 contains items (e.g., authenticity, integrity, vision) that Black fathers need to be leaders in their community. As one CAB member eloquently puts: “This is the external representation of the internal work [referring to Cluster 5] done”. While community leadership and fatherhood may seem separate, participants discussed a more expansive view of what it means to be a “paternal force”. For example, one participant describes how when “you understand yourself as a maternal or paternal force, it has implications outside your children...for your community...implications for how you parent yourself internally, implications in terms for how you are viewed or respected”. Pattern Matching Results Pattern-matching results are found in Figure 2. Cluster 6 (Purposeful Leadership) was found to be the most important with an average importance rating of 4.26. Cluster 3 (Receptivity to Influence) and Cluster 2 (Tools of Relational Engagement) were found to be the most feasible to implement with an average feasibility rating of 3.50 and 3.49, respectively. Cluster 1 (Gatekeeper-less Resources) was found to be the least important and feasible to implement with an average importance rating of 3.99 and feasibility rating of 3.22. Go-Zone Results Go-Zone results are found in Figure 3. Since each cluster will form a component of the Black fatherhood mentorship program, we were interested in items that would be the most important and most feasible to implement in each cluster. Cluster 1 (Gatekeeper-less Resources) had financial literacy (#9), to feel appreciated (#27), access to resources (#44), and access to people (#45) as the most important and feasible. Cluster 2 (Tools of Relational Engagement) had encouragement (#5), communication skills (#34), and love (#39) as the most important and feasible. Cluster 3 (Tools of Relational Engagement) had community (#4), understanding (#14), mentorship (#29), and connectedness (#60) as the most important and feasible. Cluster 4 (Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth) had an understanding of responsibility (#19) as the most important and feasible. Cluster 5 (Positive Internal Mindset) had positive self-image (#11), self-awareness (#12), self-love (#38), and vulnerability (#43) as the most important and feasible. Finally, Cluster 6 (Purposeful Leadership) had integrity (#13) , a sense of purpose (#25) , and patience (#52) as the most important and feasible. Discussion Community-based participatory research (CBPR) helps to ensure that research priorities and interventions are culturally appropriate and responsive to the needs and concerns of target populations. This method promotes health equity by empowering community members to actively participate in decision-making processes that affect their health and other life outcomes. 41 Working with a community advisory board, we used concept mapping, a CBPR strategy, to examine the qualities that Black men and fathers need to flourish in the context of the socioecological marginalization that they face in America. 1,5,6 This allowed for the centering of voices from the Black community, Black fathers’ needs to be explicitly stated rather than assumed, focus on strength-based solutions instead of deficits, and demonstration of the novelty that results when researchers engage community members as equal partners. Participants emphasized the importance of Black men seeing themselves, their purpose, and their fatherhood role in a positive light. Captured in the Positive Internal Mindset and Purposeful Leadership clusters, this highlighted a desire to build oneself and each other up in an optimistic and encouraging way, in contrast to being disempowered by portrayals of Black men and fathers in the mainstream. As one CAB member put it, “We can’t change how they see us or what they say about us, but we can change how we see and talk about ourselves.” Previous research has similarly supported the notion that increased self-esteem in Black men serves as a protective factor against the psychological harms caused by both internalized 42 and externalized racism. 43 Participants further believed that having a positive self-image and sense of purpose could combat the normalization of trauma and the idea that suffering should be worn as a badge of honor. Healthy relationships were seen as an essential element to Black men and fathers flourishing as well, consistent with prior research that has shown how social support, kinship, and connection play an important role in Black men’s mental and physical health. 21,30 One of the lasting effects of the persecution that Black individuals endured through slavery, the Jim Crow era, and the War on Drugs, has been to live in survival mode. 18 Many Black men have adapted to this by becoming reclusive, hypervigilant, avoidant, and by withholding the trust and vulnerability that is necessary for the social connections that they genuinely, but often privately, desire. 44 Indeed, research has found that masculinity role norms 45 and mental health stigma 46 prevent Black men from utilizing social networks, even when such networks have been found to promote Black fathers’ parenting satisfaction 47 and involvement. 48 Participants noted in the Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth and Receptivity to Influence Clusters that, in this context, is it not enough to tell others what they ought to do to flourish, but that role modeling is necessary to demonstrate how it is done. True mentorship, from elders and peers who are willing to open up and invite others into their lives, could lower defensive behaviors and give way to authentically built relational trust. A CAB member shared that this sort of “taking me under his wing” would have benefitted him when he was younger, particularly if the mentor was not judgmental, punitive, or dismissive of him as he navigated trials and errors of growing up as a Black man. Going hand in hand with this, the Tools of Relational Engagement represent fundamental skills of interpersonal interactions. Our research suggests that these are crucial skills to be developed through modeling, specifically for Black men who have learned to cope with conflict by withdrawal 20 or aggression. 9 Our cluster map also addressed the role that external resources play in Black men’s flourishing. While all clusters were seen by participants as important, the Gatekeeper-Less Resources cluster was rated relatively less important than those dependent on internal or interpersonal relationships. This is notable, as it goes against the stereotypical or austerity-based rhetoric that the Black community is asking for a handout or waiting to be rescued. 49 CAB members noted that items such as financial literacy, therapeutic support, and rehabilitation are basic human needs that should be widely available and expressed the ambitious desire for members of the Black community to ultimately become the suppliers of such resources to circumvent any conscious or unconscious gatekeeping by those who are in control. Differences between participants’ ratings of importance and feasibility in the pattern match seem to reflect challenges faced when community interventions endeavor to affect cognitive or behavioral change. Purposeful Leadership and Positive Internal Mindset were rated as most important for Black father flourishing while Receptivity to Influence and Tools of Relational Engagement were rated as the easiest to address within a peer mentorship intervention. This may suggest, for instance, that a group intervention may only provide a prerequisite milieu (e.g., mentorship; encouragement) for the deeper, more individual work necessary for lasting change (e.g., sense of purpose; positive self-image). For Black men and fathers, this work will likely include healing from traumatic experiences and uprooting the pervasive effects of internalized racism, processes that will outlast most, if not all, interventions timelines. Subsequently, go-zone plots, which highlight items rated as both important and feasible, will be used to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of the peer mentorship intervention that our group is planning. Limitations and strengths This study’s findings should be interpreted with consideration of limitations. First, study participants were inclusive of individuals who had already agreed to be members of the larger project’s advisory board. This meant that participants had a pre-established lean towards working with and supporting Black fathers with strength-based approaches. Therefore, study results may not be representative of those who do not have similar experiences or expectations. Secondly, one duplicate item (education) was mistakenly not removed for those who completed the structuring activity in the hybrid meeting, so five participants were later called to resolve their sorting and rating responses. The additional education duplicate was removed for participants who asynchronously completed the structuring online, so no follow up was needed. Thirdly, the predetermined inclusion criteria also meant that the total number of CAB member participants (n = 9) was just below the recommended minimum of ten participants for concept mapping methodology to reach group consensus. 40 While a smaller sample limits the generalizability of our results, we were able to garner a high degree of CAB member participation throughout the CM steps. For example, our study had 88.9%, 88.9%, and 100% participation in the sorting, rating 1 (importance), and rating 2 (feasibility) activities, respectively. In comparison, Rosas and Kane 50 conducted a concept mapping meta study review where the average concept map study participation was 50.7%, 65.8%, and 51.6%, respectively in the aforementioned activities. In addition to the high degree of CAB participation throughout the concept mapping process, another noteworthy strength is that our study included a heterogenous representation of Black community members who had a range of lived experience. Conclusion In summary, Black fathers and those who support them shared their perspectives about individual, interpersonal, and community level solutions to their socioecological challenges. To them, the flourishing of Black Fathers entails supportive and influential relationships that foster healing from racial and other traumatic wounds and increasing personal and community capacity. They focused on growth that can be sought after and attained amongst themselves before larger systemic discriminatory and marginalizing policies end. The unique solutions to the condition of American Black men and fathers suggested in this study demonstrate the value of engaging community members in research addressing public health issues. The findings also suggest that clinicians, researchers, and service providers who are interested in helping Black men and fathers are likely to get more buy-in through creating spaces of affirmation and hope that provide natural opportunities for connection and community-building instead of simply developing programs. Our research team plans on utilizing these data (Step 6 in the Concept Mapping process) to inform a Black fatherhood mentorship program, but we believe that similar community-based participatory practices have implications for the development of other father-forward programs as well, including those for other ethnic minorities, immigrants, and queer fathers. References Braveman PA, Arkin E, Proctor D, Kauh T, Holm N. Systemic And Structural Racism: Definitions, Examples, Health Damages, And Approaches To Dismantling. Health Aff (Millwood) . 2022;41(2):171-178. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01394 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table A-2. Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, and age - 2023 M11 Results. Published December 8, 2023. Accessed January 2, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm#cps_empsit_a02.f.1 Carson EA. Prisoners in 2021 – Statistical Tables. Bur Justice Stat . Published online December 20, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau. Table 1. Educational Attainment of the Population 18 Years and Over, by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 2021. Census.gov. Published February 24, 2022. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2021/demo/educational-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html Utsey SO. Racism and the Psychological Well-being of African American Men. J Afr Am Men . 1997;3(1):69-87. Perry AR, Bright M. African American Fathers and Incarceration: Paternal Involvement and Child Outcomes. Soc Work Public Health . 2012;27(1-2):187-203. doi:10.1080/19371918.2011.629856 Wilson V, Rodgers III W. Black-White Wage Gaps Expand with Rising Wage Inequality. Economic Policy Institute. Published September 20, 2016. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.epi.org/publication/black-white-wage-gaps-expand-with-rising-wage-inequality/ Fryer RG, Pager D, Spenkuch JL. Racial Disparities in Job Finding and Offered Wages. J Law Econ . 2013;56(3):633-689. doi:10.1086/673323 Phan J, So S, Thomas A, Gaylord-Harden N. Hyperarousal and hypervigilance in African American male adolescents exposed to community violence. J Appl Dev Psychol . 2020;70:101168. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101168 Crouch JL, Hanson RF, Saunders BE, Kilpatrick DG, Resnick HS. Income, race/ethnicity, and exposure to violence in youth: Results from the national survey of adolescents. J Community Psychol . 2000;28(6):625-641. doi:10.1002/1520-6629(200011)28:63.0.CO;2-R Arias E, Xu J, Kochanek K. United States Life Tables, 2021. Natl Vital Stat Rep . 2023;72(12). McClendon J, Chang K, J. Boudreaux M, Oltmanns TF, Bogdan R. Black-White racial health disparities in inflammation and physical health: Cumulative stress, social isolation, and health behaviors. Psychoneuroendocrinology . 2021;131:105251. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105251 Bird CM, Webb EK, Schramm AT, Torres L, Larson C, deRoon-Cassini TA. Racial Discrimination is Associated with Acute Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Predicts Future Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity in Trauma-Exposed Black Adults in the United States. J Trauma Stress . 2021;34(5):995-1004. doi:10.1002/jts.22670 Jones AL, Rafferty J, Cochran SD, Abelson J, Hanna MR, Mays VM. Prevalence, Severity and Burden of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Black Men and Women Across the Adult Life span. J Aging Health . 2022;34(3):401-412. doi:10.1177/08982643221086071 Lewis TT, Cogburn CD, Williams DR. Self-Reported Experiences of Discrimination and Health: Scientific Advances, Ongoing Controversies, and emerging Issues. Annu Rev Clin Psychol . 2015;11:407-440. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032814-112728 Williams DR, González HM, Neighbors H, et al. Prevalence and distribution of major depressive disorder in African Americans, Caribbean blacks, and non-Hispanic whites: results from the National Survey of American Life. Arch Gen Psychiatry . 2007;64(3):305-315. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.3.305 Utsey SO, Payne Y. Psychological impacts of racism in a clinical versus normal sample of African American men. J Afr Am Men . 2000;5(3):57-72. doi:10.1007/s12111-000-1004-9 Juzang I. Moving Young Black Men Beyond Survival Mode: Protective Factors for Their Mental Health. In: Majors R, Carberry K, S. Ransaw T, eds. The International Handbook of Black Community Mental Health . Emerald Publishing Limited; 2020:257-274. doi:10.1108/978-1-83909-964-920201017 Bennett GG, Merritt MM, Sollers III JJ, et al. Stress, coping, and health outcomes among African-Americans: a review of the John Henryism hypothesis. Psychol Health . 2004;19(3):369-383. doi:10.1080/0887044042000193505 Gaylord-Harden NK, Barbarin O, Tolan PH, Murry VM. Understanding development of African American boys and young men: Moving from risks to positive youth development. Am Psychol . 2018;73(6):753-767. doi:10.1037/amp0000300 Alcaraz KI, Eddens KS, Blase JL, et al. Social Isolation and Mortality in US Black and White Men and Women. Am J Epidemiol . 2019;188(1):102-109. doi:10.1093/aje/kwy231 Maruschak LM, Bronson J, Alper M. Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children. Published online March 30, 2021. Arditti JA. Parental Incarceration and the Family: Psychological and Social Effects of Imprisonment on Children, Parents, and Caregivers . New York University Press; 2012. Accessed January 20, 2024. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pitt-ebooks/detail.action?docID=865301 Baker CE. Fathers’ and Mothers’ Home Literacy Involvement and Children’s Cognitive and Social Emotional Development: Implications for Family Literacy Programs. Appl Dev Sci . 2013;17(4):184-197. doi:10.1080/10888691.2013.836034 Baker CE. African American Fathers’ Contributions to Children’s Early Academic Achievement: Evidence From Two-Parent Families From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort. Early Educ Dev . 2014;25(1):19-35. doi:10.1080/10409289.2013.764225 Wildeman C, Wakefield S. The Long Arm of the Law: The Concentration of Incarceration in Families in the Era of Mass Incarceration. J Gend Race Justice . 2014;17(2):367-390. U.S. Census Bureau. Historical Living Arrangements of Children. Census.gov. Published September 21, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/children.html Rambert O. The Absent Black Father: Race, the Welfare-Child Support System, and the Cyclical Nature of Fatherlessness Comments. UCLA Law Rev . 2021;68(1):324-362. Huang CC, Mincy RB, Garfinkel I. Child Support Obligations and Low-Income Fathers. J Marriage Fam . 2005;67(5):1213-1225. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00211.x Watkins DC, Walker RL, Griffith DM. A Meta-Study of Black Male Mental Health and Well-Being. J Black Psychol . 2010;36(3):303-330. doi:10.1177/0095798409353756 Powe PM, VanHook C, Collier A, et al. Black Fathers’ Perspectives About Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress: Results From Focus Groups. Fam Soc . Published online November 6, 2023:10443894231193867. doi:10.1177/10443894231193867 Sinkewicz M, Lee R. Prevalence, Comorbidity, and Course of Depression Among Black Fathers in the United States. Res Soc Work Pract . 2011;21(3):289-297. doi:10.1177/1049731510386497 Chung G, Smith Q, Frey J, Lanier P. Associations between depression and parenting of fathers in Head Start and parental self-efficacy as a protective factor. Child Youth Serv Rev . 2021;120:105758. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105758 Patton S, Rollo T, Curry TJ. “The First Mark of Pain”: Toward a child-centered methodological reorientation of social theory, race and corporal punishment in American life. Sociol Compass . 2021;15(12):e12943. doi:10.1111/soc4.12943 Tyrell FA, Masten AS. Father-child attachment in Black families: risk and protective processes. Attach Hum Dev . 2022;24(3):274-286. doi:10.1080/14616734.2021.1976923 Vaughn LM, Jones JR, Booth E, Burke JG. Concept mapping methodology and community-engaged research: A perfect pairing. Evaluation and Program Planning . 2017;60:229-237. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.08.013 Burke JG, O’Campo P, Peak GL, Gielen AC, McDonnell KA, Trochim WMK. An Introduction to Concept Mapping as a Participatory Public Health Research Method. Qual Health Res . 2005;15(10):1392-1410. doi:10.1177/1049732305278876 Anderson LA, Slonim A. Perspectives on the strategic uses of concept mapping to address public health challenges. Eval Program Plann . 2017;60:194-201. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.08.011 The Concept System® Global MAX TM . Published online 2022. http://www.conceptsystemsglobal.com. Kane M, Trochim WMK. Concept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation . Sage Publications, Inc; 2007:xv, 200. Peterson A, Charles V, Yeung D, Coyle K. The Health Equity Framework: A science- and Justice-based model for public health researchers and Practitioners. Health Promotion Practice. 2021;22(6):741-746. doi:10.1177/1524839920950730 Roberson K, Pieterse AL. Internalized racism and self-esteem: Do depressive symptoms matter? Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol . 2021;27(3):531-536. doi:10.1037/cdp0000453 Mereish EH, N’cho HS, Green CE, Jernigan MM, Helms JE. Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms Among Black American Men: Moderated-Mediation Effects of Ethnicity and Self-Esteem. Behav Med . 2016;42(3):190-196. doi:10.1080/08964289.2016.1150804 Umberson D, Thomeer MB, Williams K, Thomas PA, Liu H. Childhood Adversity and Men’s Relationships in Adulthood: Life Course Processes and Racial Disadvantage. J Gerontol Ser B . 2016;71(5):902-913. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbv091 Powell W, Adams LB, Cole-Lewis Y, Agyemang A, Upton RD. Masculinity and Race-Related Factors as Barriers to Health Help-Seeking Among African American Men. Behav Med Wash DC . 2016;42(3):150-163. doi:10.1080/08964289.2016.1165174 Cadaret MC, Speight SL. An Exploratory Study of Attitudes Toward Psychological Help Seeking Among African American Men. J Black Psychol . 2018;44(4):347-370. doi:10.1177/0095798418774655 Thompson SD, Walker AC. Satisfaction with Parenting: A Comparison Between Adolescent Mothers and Fathers. Sex Roles . 2004;50(9):677-687. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000027569.27653.8e Fagan J, Bernd E, Whiteman V. Adolescent Fathers’ Parenting Stress, Social Support, and Involvement with Infants. J Res Adolesc . 2007;17(1):1-22. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00510.x Esposito L, Romano V. Benevolent racism: upholding racial inequality in the name of Black empowerment. West J Black Stud . 2014;38(2):69-84. Rosas SR, Kane M. Quality and rigor of the concept mapping methodology: A pooled study analysis. Eval Program Plann . 2012;35(2):236-245. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2011.10.003 Tables Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants (n = 8) Characteristic n (%) Age 30-39 3 (37.5) 40-49 1 (12.5) 50 and older 4 (50.0) Marital status Married 5 (62.5) Divorced 1 (12.5) Never married 2 (25.0) Number of biological children 0 1 (12.5) 1 1 (12.5) 2 2 (25.0) 3 2 (25.0) 4 1 (12.5) 5 1 (12.5) Age of biological children i 0-9 2 (10.0) 10-19 8 (40.0) 20-29 3 (15.0) 30-39 2 (10.0) 40-49 3 (15.0) 50 and older 2 (10.0) Education High school diploma or equivalent (GED) 1 (12.5) Bachelor's Degree 4 (50.0) Master's Degree 3 (37.5) Employment Yes 8 (100.0) No 0 (0.0) Individual income Less than $30,000 1 (12.5) $30,000 - $74,999 3 (37.5) $75,000+ 4 (50.0) Table 2. Cluster names and associated statements Cluster names Statement names (number) 1. Gatekeeper-less Resources to be heard (1) financial literacy (9) therapeutic support (23) legal support (26) to feel appreciated (27) to no longer be seen as threats (30) to be accurately depicted as active parents (31) access to resources (44) access to people (45) safety (46) rehabilitation (54) 2. Tools of Relational Engagement encouragement (5) efficiency as a leader (10) gentleness (18) conflict resolution skills (20) career development (22) communication skills (34) love (39) discipline (56) empathy (58) 3. Receptivity to Influence sustained and present role models (3) community (4) money (6) kindness (7) understanding (14) intentional dads (16) present dads (17) fellowship with other fathers (28) mentorship (29) women (40) connectedness (60) 4. Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth an understanding of responsibility (19) a spiritual foundation (24) good health (holistically) (33) expectations (36) education (48) 5. Positive Internal Mindset peace (2) joy (8) positive self-image (11) self-awareness (12) acceptance (37) self-love (38) vulnerability (43) perseverance (50) open-mindedness (51) routine (57) 6. Purposeful Leadership integrity (13) authenticity (15) self-control (21) a sense of purpose (25) courage (32) vision (35) goodness (41) faith (42) confidence (47) humility (49) patience (52) accountability (53) sense of identity (55) competence (59) Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4110380","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":281004882,"identity":"3cce3053-3e7d-4d83-a8a5-18d9f04bd839","order_by":0,"name":"Paula Marie Powe","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAApUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYPACGyjNRryWNNK1HCZBizl7j+HjwpzzidvFDj9g+FB2mLAWy54zxsYzt91O3Dk7zYBxxjkitBjcyN0mzQvUsuF2DgMzbxtxWrb/5t12DqLlL5FatjHzbjsA0cJIjBbLnvOfpWduSzYG+eVgz7l0wlrM2dsSPxdus5PdLp388MGPMmsiHAbEzDDGAcLq0bWMglEwCkbBKMAKAMmrPYhDf4+EAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0764-4293","institution":"University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Paula","middleName":"Marie","lastName":"Powe","suffix":""},{"id":281004883,"identity":"63a271c0-ab3f-4e61-8b46-4f514e99894a","order_by":1,"name":"Amber Tan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amber","middleName":"","lastName":"Tan","suffix":""},{"id":281004884,"identity":"26684138-cadf-4390-bd23-44828261e825","order_by":2,"name":"Thea Crossett","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Pittsburgh","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thea","middleName":"","lastName":"Crossett","suffix":""},{"id":281004885,"identity":"7cf882b2-3ad0-4fbb-a0b2-63072c4f2e29","order_by":3,"name":"Aki Jamal Durham","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Grace Wellness Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aki","middleName":"Jamal","lastName":"Durham","suffix":""},{"id":281004886,"identity":"4edd0aad-8c2d-4796-bf4d-be1c7b6cdac5","order_by":4,"name":"Sarah Pedersen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sarah","middleName":"","lastName":"Pedersen","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-03-15 21:35:58","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":53194936,"identity":"5d0686bd-b27e-425c-9772-4295a5c23569","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-21 18:16:02","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":411408,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6-Cluster Configuration\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4110380/v1/8f0ed238419d66f6c9ffa9d9.png"},{"id":53194921,"identity":"d28f1164-6da1-4867-88d9-fff5a887cf3e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-21 18:16:01","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":404183,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePattern Matching Results\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4110380/v1/ca31cc1a068f6b1f9d70d509.png"},{"id":53194959,"identity":"18417c23-8d57-411e-9a44-a88bab2de849","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-21 18:16:02","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":316731,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGo-Zone Plots of Clusters\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4110380/v1/b65959b3820e672658e3fec3.png"},{"id":55753978,"identity":"11b4d8d9-3193-4e19-b18e-3b742d56cbe6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-05-02 16:34:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1234766,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4110380/v1/430364d9-2f64-4efe-8fed-280bd7ee51fe.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Black Dad Shine: A Concept Mapping Approach to Identifying the Qualities of Black Father Flourishing","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eBlack men in America face unique challenges in their lives because of the historical roots, and present-day consequences, of systemic racism.\u003csup\u003e1\u003c/sup\u003e Systematic oppression, entrenched in economic, educational, legal, and criminal justice systems, continues to disproportionately affect Black men. As examples, Black men are twice as likely to be unemployed, five and a half times more likely to be incarcerated, and around a third less likely to receive a Bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree when compared to their White counterparts.\u003csup\u003e2\u0026ndash;4\u003c/sup\u003e These historical through present day experiences are sustaining and worsening the resource and health inequities that affect Black men.\u003csup\u003e5,6\u003c/sup\u003e Even after adjusting for education, workforce experience, region, and population density, Black men still earn 22% less than White men,\u003csup\u003e7\u003c/sup\u003e and research indicates that this is partially due to racial discrimination.\u003csup\u003e8\u003c/sup\u003e Black boys\u0026rsquo; exposure to community violence, one of the negative consequences of racial housing segregation, ranges from 50% to as a high as 96%,\u003csup\u003e9\u003c/sup\u003e and persists at a significantly higher rate at each income level for Black youth relative to their White counterparts.\u003csup\u003e10\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEffects on Black Men’s Health\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese experiences and resulting inequities have notable, deleterious impacts on Black men\u0026rsquo;s health and psychological wellbeing. As of 2021, the life expectancy of Black men was 5.5 years less than White men,\u003csup\u003e11\u003c/sup\u003e and minority health stress models have robustly linked the connection between stressors from systemic racism, psychosocial outcomes, and health disparities among Black Americans.\u003csup\u003e12\u003c/sup\u003e Regarding mental health, racial discrimination has been positively associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),\u003csup\u003e13,14\u003c/sup\u003e social anxiety, and depression,\u003csup\u003e15\u003c/sup\u003e and Black men are more likely to develop more severe, chronic symptoms that go untreated.\u003csup\u003e16\u003c/sup\u003e Subsequently, some Black men resort to alcohol or substance use as a form of self-medication and coping,\u003csup\u003e17,18\u003c/sup\u003e as well as John Henryism (the strategy of working harder and longer in response to discrimination),\u003csup\u003e19\u003c/sup\u003e experience heightened hypervigilance,\u003csup\u003e9\u003c/sup\u003e and/or socially withdraw.\u003csup\u003e20\u003c/sup\u003e Relationally, social isolation, which has a well-known correlation to all-cause mortality,\u003csup\u003e21\u003c/sup\u003e is also greater among Black men than any other race or gender group. Stress response frameworks suggest that while such coping strategies are adaptive in the short term for Black men living in harsh, unpredictable environments, they have deleterious health outcomes in the long run.\u003csup\u003e9,19\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTrickle-Down Effects\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe effects of such stressors are pervasive, influencing Black men\u0026rsquo;s fatherhood experience and, consequently, Black children, Black families, and the Black community as a whole. For instance, around half of incarcerated Black men are fathers,\u003csup\u003e22\u003c/sup\u003e and significant impacts of this include limited paternal involvement, communication, and contact with their children.\u003csup\u003e23\u003c/sup\u003e Such absence from children\u0026rsquo;s lives, especially during infancy and early childhood, precludes Black fathers from making meaningful contributions to child development, including in the socioemotional\u003csup\u003e24\u003c/sup\u003e and cognitive realms\u003csup\u003e25\u003c/sup\u003e that increase school readiness and set the foundation for academic success and future upward mobility. Paternal incarceration also decreases overall family income and leads to a greater risk of childhood poverty and homelessness.\u003csup\u003e26\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Black father\u0026rsquo;s contact with his children may also be limited by his financial situation. Only about 50% of Black men live full-time with their children,\u003csup\u003e27\u003c/sup\u003e and many non-custodial Black fathers are legally responsible for making child support payments regardless of their carceral, employment, or economic status.\u003csup\u003e28\u003c/sup\u003e States favor higher child support payments because they reduce overall state assistance to families,\u003csup\u003e28\u003c/sup\u003e and low-income fathers typically have higher child support rates than middle or upper-income fathers.\u003csup\u003e29\u003c/sup\u003e Black fathers view a large part of their fatherhood role as being a provider and in instances when they are unable to pay, they can feel, or be made to feel, shame and disillusionment that keeps them estranged from their children and/or the mother of their children.\u003csup\u003e30,31\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlthough quantitative studies examining depression in Black fathers are scant, Sinkewicz and Lee\u003csup\u003e32\u003c/sup\u003e found that the 12-month prevalence of a major depressive episode is one and a half times higher among Black fathers than Black men in the general population. In another study, paternal depression, particularly in low-income fathers, was found to be associated with child neglect and harsh parenting (e.g., corporal punishment).\u003csup\u003e33\u003c/sup\u003e While these practices are indeed true aspects of childhood maltreatment, they are often viewed in isolation and without consideration of the psychological footprint that decades of oppression left on Black families. In reality, such maltreatment has roots in slavery and is associated with the normalization of internalized racism, intergenerational trauma, and interpersonal violence within the greater community.\u003csup\u003e34\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTraditional Approaches Lack Solutions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrior research examining the state of Black men or Black fathers in America has often taken a pathologizing, deficit-based approach.\u003csup\u003e35\u003c/sup\u003e Instead of the socioecological condition of Black men and the Black community being framed as a collective plight and consequence of structural racism (e.g., chattel slavery, Jim Crow laws, redlining\u003csup\u003e18\u003c/sup\u003e), it has often been unjustly viewed as individual failures, where those who have not managed to \u0026ldquo;pull yourself up by the bootstraps\u0026rdquo; are found to be lacking. Subsequently, there remains a gap in understanding the capacity of Black men and the Black community to create solutions for themselves.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo contribute to a small, but growing, literature based in strength-based Black fatherhood studies, the current study engages the Black community to understand their needs in the context of their lived experiences with ongoing systemic discrimination. We utilized a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method\u003csup\u003e36\u003c/sup\u003e to center Black men\u0026rsquo;s voices, which is essential to learning how to best support them and leverage individual and community assets.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study assessed the qualities associated with Black father flourishing using concept mapping, a participatory method that integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods to create visual displays of community members\u0026rsquo; perspectives.\u003csup\u003e37\u003c/sup\u003e Concept mapping shifts the locus of control in research by inviting community stakeholders to be engaged in each step of the study pipeline, from data generation to interpreting and implementing data analyses into program development and has seen wide-spread success in public health program development and adaptations.\u003csup\u003e38\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe employed concept mapping as part of a broader CBPR project focused on intervention development to address racial health disparities in Black youth that are experienced secondary to early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Members of a pre-established Community Advisory Board (CAB) served as participants in this study and met bimonthly in hybrid (in-person and virtual) meetings from April 2023 to November 2023. Our application of concept mapping included 5 steps: (1) preparation, (2) generation, (3) structuring, (4) representation, and (5) interpretation, as well as planning for step 6: utilization and action.\u003csup\u003e37\u003c/sup\u003e The University of [redacted] Institutional Review Board deemed this research protocol to be exempt. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreparation (Step 1)\u003c/strong\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first author prepared the following focal prompt to guide the current concept mapping study: \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eBlack fathers in America need ______ to be the best that they can be for themselves and their children\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, participant recruitment for the CAB was determined in the preparation step. Each member was personally invited to be involved in the broader CBPR project by the first author because of their demonstrated commitment to promoting the health of Black families, as well as their life and career experience. Their areas of expertise included Black fatherhood, father- and motherhood advocacy, community leadership and education, fatherhood program coordination, Infant Mental Health, gun violence prevention, Marriage and Family therapy, player development in the National Football League (NFL), and prison reentry programming. Further demographic details are found in Table 1. Notably, the CAB members were primarily married (62.5%), had children in the age range of 10-19 (40.0%), and were 50 and older (50.0%). \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Collection and Analyses \u003c/strong\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGeneration (Step 2)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Generation step involves collecting a list of items that fill in the blank of the provided focal prompt. This step began during the last 60 minutes of the first in-person CAB meeting, and the research team wrote individual responses on a whiteboard in real-time and asked for clarification as needed. For example, one item, \u0026ldquo;Fruit of the Spirit,\u0026rdquo; was expanded into 9 items (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) in line with the Biblical reference of Galatians 5:22-23. The generated list of 29 items was then uploaded to the online Concept Mapping platform, The Concept System\u0026reg; GroupWisdom\u0026trade;, and each CAB member was asked to add 3-5 additional responses.\u003csup\u003e39\u003c/sup\u003e Asynchronous online brainstorming continued on this platform for several weeks. In all, eight CAB members participated in this step and, after duplicate items were removed and related items were consolidated, a final set of 60 items was generated. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStructuring\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Step 3)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Structuring step includes two sets of activities, where participants individually sort and rate the items in the final list. The sorting and rating activities were completed both in a hybrid meeting (in-person and zoom), as well as asynchronously online within the GroupWisdom\u0026trade; platform.\u003csup\u003e39\u003c/sup\u003e For the sorting activity, participants arranged the 60 items into thematic piles that made the most sense to them, ensuring that there were at least three piles and that each pile had more than one item. To assess importance and feasibility, participants were then asked to respond to the following rating questions, \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;How important is this item for Black fathers to be the best that they can be for themselves and their children?\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo; and \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;How easy would it be to address this item in a mentorship group for Black fathers?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e. Both questions were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with \u0026ldquo;1\u0026rdquo; being \u0026ldquo;not very important\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;not very easy\u0026rdquo;, and \u0026ldquo;5\u0026rdquo; being \u0026ldquo;extremely important\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;extremely easy\u0026rdquo;, respectively. Nine CAB members completed the sorting activity and feasibility rating, and eight completed the importance rating. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRepresentation and Analyses\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Step 4)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe representation and analyses step involves quantitatively analyzing participant\u0026rsquo;s sorting and rating data via the GroupWisdom\u0026trade; platform to create visual maps (e.g. the point map and cluster map).\u003csup\u003e39\u003c/sup\u003e The point map is derived through multidimensional scaling (MDS) and demonstrates how frequently items were sorted together. Items that are frequently sorted together are considered similar by the group and are thus grouped closer together on the point map. Conversely, items that are not frequently sorted together are considered different by the group and are thus spaced further apart on the point map. A stress value was calculated to ensure an acceptable goodness of fit between the point map and the data. The lower the stress value, the better the fit. The present study\u0026rsquo;s point map produced a stress value of .32, which is below the .39 cutoff recommended by Kane \u0026amp; Trochim.\u003csup\u003e40\u003c/sup\u003e The cluster map employs hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) to partition the point map items into clusters, which capture groups of items that are thematically similar. We performed two additional sets of analyses to further probe the data. The first is pattern-matching, which compares average cluster ratings across scales (importance and feasibility). The second are go-zone plots, which are bi-variate comparisons of items within a cluster. Both utilize Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation (r) for these comparisons and such analyses will be leveraged in the final utilization phase (step 6). \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eInterpretation\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Step 5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the interpretation step, eight CAB members met in a recorded, hybrid meeting and were presented with the finalized cluster map. The lead author facilitated CAB member discussion on connections between items within each cluster and the meaning of any outliers. Additionally, cluster names were generated by CAB members and later narrowed down by the research team. Two CAB member co-leaders met with researchers and came to a consensus on the final cluster names. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eOverall, 60 brainstormed items were created in the Generation step (Table 2).\u0026nbsp;A potential range (3-15) of clusters were generated from these items in GroupWisdom\u0026trade; during the Representation and Analyses step.\u003csup\u003e39\u003c/sup\u003e Based on previous discussions with participants during earlier CM steps, the research team chose a 6-cluster configuration map to meaningfully represent the data.\u0026nbsp;The finalized cluster map with CAB member-generated cluster names is found in Figure 1. Cluster descriptions, along with thematic ideas and connections generated by CAB member discussion from the Interpretation step, are found below.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 1. Gatekeeper-Less Resources\u003c/em\u003e (11 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 1 contains resources, such as financial literacy (9), rehabilitation (54), safety (46), that are primarily and historically gatekept from Black men broadly and Black fathers specifically, even though they are a necessity for them to thrive. One participant distinguishes this cluster from the others by explaining: \u0026ldquo;I need someone else to willingly give me. I cannot force them to give it, I can protest when I\u0026rsquo;m not being given it, but I cannot really force their hand\u0026hellip;there\u0026rsquo;s a little less hope connected to the theme...because this is...primarily externally driven\u0026rdquo;. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 2. Tools of Relational Engagement\u003c/em\u003e (9 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 2 encompasses ways to positively engage with relationships and relationship-building skills (e.g., co-parents, community, children). Example items include conflict resolution skills (20), discipline (56), communication skills (34), and empathy (58). Additionally, an important distinction was made between engagement and communication during discussion. As one participant notes: \u0026ldquo;Engaging is beyond just communicating. It\u0026rsquo;s your follow-through after, it\u0026rsquo;s your actions, it\u0026rsquo;s your planning\u0026rdquo;. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 3. Receptivity to Influence\u003c/em\u003e (11 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 3 contains items that would promote and facilitate Black father engagement with the proposed mentorship program.\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eExample items include connectedness (60), intentional dads (16), and kindness (7). Discussion was centered on characteristics that facilitate mentee receptiveness, including providing an environment that is receptive, and, in turn, a mentee\u0026rsquo;s willingness to listen. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 4. Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth\u003c/em\u003e (5 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 4 describes the foundation of what a mentorship-mentee relationship would look like in the proposed mentorship program. CAB discussion was centered on what makes these relationships meaningful and effective and how to do so. For example, one participant describes the difference between successful and failed mentorships: \u0026ldquo;You can tell who moves in a certain way, you can tell who bops a certain way, like they got a big homie. And if you ain\u0026rsquo;t got a big homie, you just out here doing whatever, listening to teachers that don\u0026rsquo;t come from where you come from...[Telling] you\u0026hellip; like here play some basketball, here play some videogames...they aren\u0026rsquo;t really focusing on you\u0026hellip; they\u0026rsquo;re just like: here stay out of trouble. That\u0026rsquo;s it. You\u0026rsquo;re not really purposing your \u0026ldquo;stay out of trouble\u0026rdquo;. They\u0026rsquo;re not really giving you goals\u0026rdquo;. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 5. Positive Internal Mindset\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e(10 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 5 describes the internal reflections needed to cultivate a positive internal mindset. This includes items such as positive self-image, vulnerability, and acceptance. Importantly, such items can only be achieved and controlled by the individual themselves. As one participant puts, \u0026ldquo;I really do want to emphasize that this is about you...it\u0026rsquo;s about what is in your power and what you need and what you have control over and... you can do it. You don\u0026rsquo;t need this external validation or input of someone else\u0026rdquo;. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster 6. Purposeful Leadership \u003c/em\u003e(14 items) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster 6 contains items (e.g., authenticity, integrity, vision) that Black fathers need to be leaders in their community. As one CAB member eloquently puts: \u0026ldquo;This is the external representation of the internal work [referring to Cluster 5] done\u0026rdquo;. While community leadership and fatherhood may seem separate, participants discussed a more expansive view of what it means to be a \u0026ldquo;paternal force\u0026rdquo;. For example, one participant describes how when \u0026ldquo;you understand yourself as a maternal or paternal force, it has implications outside your children...for your community...implications for how you parent yourself internally, implications in terms for how you are viewed or respected\u0026rdquo;. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePattern Matching Results \u003c/em\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePattern-matching results are found in Figure 2. \u003cem\u003eCluster 6 (Purposeful Leadership)\u003c/em\u003e was found to be the most important with an average importance rating of 4.26. \u003cem\u003eCluster 3 (Receptivity to Influence)\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCluster 2 (Tools of Relational Engagement)\u003c/em\u003e were found to be the most feasible to implement with an average feasibility rating of 3.50 and 3.49, respectively. \u003cem\u003eCluster 1 (Gatekeeper-less Resources)\u003c/em\u003e was found to be the least important and feasible to implement with an average importance rating of 3.99 and feasibility rating of 3.22. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGo-Zone Results \u003c/em\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGo-Zone results are found in Figure 3. Since each cluster will form a component of the Black fatherhood mentorship program, we were interested in items that would be the most important and most feasible to implement in each cluster. \u003cem\u003eCluster 1 (Gatekeeper-less Resources)\u003c/em\u003e had financial literacy (#9), to feel appreciated (#27), access to resources (#44), and access to people (#45) as the most important and feasible. \u003cem\u003eCluster 2 (Tools of Relational Engagement)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ehad\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;encouragement (#5), communication skills (#34),\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003elove (#39)\u003c/em\u003e as the most important and feasible. \u003cem\u003eCluster 3 (Tools of Relational Engagement)\u003c/em\u003e had\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;community (#4), understanding (#14), mentorship (#29),\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003econnectedness (#60)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eas the most important and feasible. \u003cem\u003eCluster 4 (Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth)\u003c/em\u003e had \u003cem\u003ean understanding of responsibility (#19)\u003c/em\u003e as the most important and feasible. \u003cem\u003eCluster 5 (Positive Internal Mindset)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ehad \u003cem\u003epositive self-image (#11), self-awareness (#12), self-love (#38),\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003evulnerability (#43)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eas the most important and feasible. Finally, \u003cem\u003eCluster 6 (Purposeful Leadership)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ehad \u003cem\u003eintegrity (#13)\u003c/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;a sense of purpose (#25)\u003c/em\u003e, and\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;patience (#52)\u003c/em\u003e as the most important and feasible. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eCommunity-based participatory research (CBPR) helps to ensure that research priorities and interventions are culturally appropriate and responsive to the needs and concerns of target populations. This method promotes health equity by empowering community members to actively participate in decision-making processes that affect their health and other life outcomes.\u003csup\u003e41\u003c/sup\u003e Working with a community advisory board, we used concept mapping, a CBPR strategy, to examine the qualities that Black men and fathers need to flourish in the context of the socioecological marginalization that they face in America.\u003csup\u003e1,5,6\u003c/sup\u003e This allowed for the centering of voices from the Black community, Black fathers\u0026rsquo; needs to be explicitly stated rather than assumed, focus on strength-based solutions instead of deficits, and demonstration of the novelty that results when researchers engage community members as equal partners.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants emphasized the importance of Black men seeing themselves, their purpose, and their fatherhood role in a positive light. Captured in the Positive Internal Mindset and Purposeful Leadership clusters, this highlighted a desire to build oneself and each other up in an optimistic and encouraging way, in contrast to being disempowered by portrayals of Black men and fathers in the mainstream. As one CAB member put it, \u0026ldquo;We can\u0026rsquo;t change how they see us or what they say about us, but we can change how we see and talk about ourselves.\u0026rdquo; Previous research has similarly supported the notion that increased self-esteem in Black men serves as a protective factor against the psychological harms caused by both internalized\u003csup\u003e42\u003c/sup\u003e and externalized racism.\u003csup\u003e43\u003c/sup\u003e Participants further believed that having a positive self-image and sense of purpose could combat the normalization of trauma and the idea that suffering should be worn as a badge of honor.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHealthy relationships were seen as an essential element to Black men and fathers flourishing as well, consistent with prior research that has shown how social support, kinship, and connection play an important role in Black men\u0026rsquo;s mental and physical health.\u003csup\u003e21,30\u003c/sup\u003e One of the lasting effects of the persecution that Black individuals endured through slavery, the Jim Crow era, and the War on Drugs, has been to live in survival mode.\u003csup\u003e18\u003c/sup\u003e Many Black men have adapted to this by becoming reclusive, hypervigilant, avoidant, and by withholding the trust and vulnerability that is necessary for the social connections that they genuinely, but often privately, desire.\u003csup\u003e44\u003c/sup\u003e Indeed, research has found that masculinity role norms\u003csup\u003e45\u003c/sup\u003e and mental health stigma\u003csup\u003e46\u003c/sup\u003e prevent Black men from utilizing social networks, even when such networks have been found to promote Black fathers\u0026rsquo; parenting satisfaction\u003csup\u003e47\u003c/sup\u003e and involvement.\u003csup\u003e48\u003c/sup\u003e Participants noted in the Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth and Receptivity to Influence Clusters that, in this context, is it not enough to tell others what they ought to do to flourish, but that role modeling is necessary to \u003cem\u003edemonstrate\u003c/em\u003e how it is done. True mentorship, from elders and peers who are willing to open up and invite others into their lives, could lower defensive behaviors and give way to authentically built relational trust. A CAB member shared that this sort of \u0026ldquo;taking me under his wing\u0026rdquo; would have benefitted him when he was younger, particularly if the mentor was not judgmental, punitive, or dismissive of him as he navigated trials and errors of growing up as a Black man.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGoing hand in hand with this, the Tools of Relational Engagement represent fundamental skills of interpersonal interactions. Our research suggests that these are crucial skills to be developed through modeling, specifically for Black men who have learned to cope with conflict by withdrawal\u003csup\u003e20\u003c/sup\u003e or aggression.\u003csup\u003e9\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOur cluster map also addressed the role that external resources play in Black men\u0026rsquo;s flourishing. While all clusters were seen by participants as important, the Gatekeeper-Less Resources cluster was rated relatively less important than those dependent on internal or interpersonal relationships. This is notable, as it goes against the stereotypical or austerity-based rhetoric that the Black community is asking for a handout or waiting to be rescued.\u003csup\u003e49\u003c/sup\u003e CAB members noted that items such as financial literacy, therapeutic support, and rehabilitation are basic human needs that should be widely available and expressed the ambitious desire for members of the Black community to ultimately become the suppliers of such resources to circumvent any conscious or unconscious gatekeeping by those who are in control.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDifferences between participants\u0026rsquo; ratings of importance and feasibility in the pattern match seem to reflect challenges faced when community interventions endeavor to affect cognitive or behavioral change. Purposeful Leadership and Positive Internal Mindset were rated as most important for Black father flourishing while Receptivity to Influence and Tools of Relational Engagement were rated as the easiest to address within a peer mentorship intervention. This may suggest, for instance, that a group intervention may only provide a prerequisite milieu (e.g., mentorship; encouragement) for the deeper, more individual work necessary for lasting change (e.g., sense of purpose; positive self-image). For Black men and fathers, this work will likely include healing from traumatic experiences and uprooting the pervasive effects of internalized racism, processes that will outlast most, if not all, interventions timelines. Subsequently, go-zone plots, which highlight items rated as both important and feasible, will be used to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of the peer mentorship intervention that our group is planning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations and strengths\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study\u0026rsquo;s findings should be interpreted with consideration of limitations. First, study participants were inclusive of individuals who had already agreed to be members of the larger project\u0026rsquo;s advisory board. This meant that participants had a pre-established lean towards working with and supporting Black fathers with strength-based approaches. Therefore, study results may not be representative of those who do not have similar experiences or expectations. Secondly, one duplicate item (education) was mistakenly not removed for those who completed the structuring activity in the hybrid meeting, so five participants were later called to resolve their sorting and rating responses. The additional education duplicate was removed for participants who asynchronously completed the structuring online, so no follow up was needed. Thirdly, the predetermined inclusion criteria also meant that the total number of CAB member participants (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9) was just below the recommended minimum of ten participants for concept mapping methodology to reach group consensus.\u003csup\u003e40\u003c/sup\u003e While a smaller sample limits the generalizability of our results, we were able to garner a high degree of CAB member participation throughout the CM steps. For example, our study had 88.9%, 88.9%, and 100% participation in the sorting, rating 1 (importance), and rating 2 (feasibility) activities, respectively. In comparison, Rosas and Kane\u003csup\u003e50\u003c/sup\u003e conducted a concept mapping meta study review where the average concept map study participation was 50.7%, 65.8%, and 51.6%, respectively in the aforementioned activities. In addition to the high degree of CAB participation throughout the concept mapping process, another noteworthy strength is that our study included a heterogenous representation of Black community members who had a range of lived experience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn summary, Black fathers and those who support them shared their perspectives about individual, interpersonal, and community level solutions to their socioecological challenges. To them, the flourishing of Black Fathers entails supportive and influential relationships that foster healing from racial and other traumatic wounds and increasing personal and community capacity. They focused on growth that can be sought after and attained amongst themselves before larger systemic discriminatory and marginalizing policies end. The unique solutions to the condition of American Black men and fathers suggested in this study demonstrate the value of engaging community members in research addressing public health issues. The findings also suggest that clinicians, researchers, and service providers who are interested in helping Black men and fathers are likely to get more buy-in through creating spaces of affirmation and hope that provide natural opportunities for connection and community-building instead of simply developing programs. Our research team plans on utilizing these data (Step 6 in the Concept Mapping process) to inform a Black fatherhood mentorship program, but we believe that similar community-based participatory practices have implications for the development of other father-forward programs as well, including those for other ethnic minorities, immigrants, and queer fathers.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBraveman PA, Arkin E, Proctor D, Kauh T, Holm N. Systemic And Structural Racism: Definitions, Examples, Health Damages, And Approaches To Dismantling. \u003cem\u003eHealth Aff (Millwood)\u003c/em\u003e. 2022;41(2):171-178. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01394\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u0026nbsp;U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table A-2. Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, and age - 2023 M11 Results. Published December 8, 2023. Accessed January 2, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm#cps_empsit_a02.f.1\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCarson EA. Prisoners in 2021 \u0026ndash; Statistical Tables. \u003cem\u003eBur Justice Stat\u003c/em\u003e. Published online December 20, 2022.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eU.S. Census Bureau. Table 1. Educational Attainment of the Population 18 Years and Over, by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 2021. Census.gov. Published February 24, 2022. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2021/demo/educational-attainment/cps-detailed-tables.html\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUtsey SO. Racism and the Psychological Well-being of African American Men. \u003cem\u003eJ Afr Am Men\u003c/em\u003e. 1997;3(1):69-87.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePerry AR, Bright M. African American Fathers and Incarceration: Paternal Involvement and Child Outcomes. \u003cem\u003eSoc Work Public Health\u003c/em\u003e. 2012;27(1-2):187-203. doi:10.1080/19371918.2011.629856\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWilson V, Rodgers III W. Black-White Wage Gaps Expand with Rising Wage Inequality. Economic Policy Institute. Published September 20, 2016. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.epi.org/publication/black-white-wage-gaps-expand-with-rising-wage-inequality/\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFryer RG, Pager D, Spenkuch JL. Racial Disparities in Job Finding and Offered Wages. \u003cem\u003eJ Law Econ\u003c/em\u003e. 2013;56(3):633-689. doi:10.1086/673323\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePhan J, So S, Thomas A, Gaylord-Harden N. Hyperarousal and hypervigilance in African American male adolescents exposed to community violence. \u003cem\u003eJ Appl Dev Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2020;70:101168. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101168\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCrouch JL, Hanson RF, Saunders BE, Kilpatrick DG, Resnick HS. Income, race/ethnicity, and exposure to violence in youth: Results from the national survey of adolescents. \u003cem\u003eJ Community Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2000;28(6):625-641. doi:10.1002/1520-6629(200011)28:6\u0026lt;625::AID-JCOP6\u0026gt;3.0.CO;2-R\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eArias E, Xu J, Kochanek K. United States Life Tables, 2021. \u003cem\u003eNatl Vital Stat Rep\u003c/em\u003e. 2023;72(12).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMcClendon J, Chang K, J. Boudreaux M, Oltmanns TF, Bogdan R. Black-White racial health disparities in inflammation and physical health: Cumulative stress, social isolation, and health behaviors. \u003cem\u003ePsychoneuroendocrinology\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;131:105251. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105251\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBird CM, Webb EK, Schramm AT, Torres L, Larson C, deRoon-Cassini TA. Racial Discrimination is Associated with Acute Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Predicts Future Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity in Trauma-Exposed Black Adults in the United States. \u003cem\u003eJ Trauma Stress\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;34(5):995-1004. doi:10.1002/jts.22670\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eJones AL, Rafferty J, Cochran SD, Abelson J, Hanna MR, Mays VM. Prevalence, Severity and Burden of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Black Men and Women Across the Adult Life span. \u003cem\u003eJ Aging Health\u003c/em\u003e. 2022;34(3):401-412. doi:10.1177/08982643221086071\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eLewis TT, Cogburn CD, Williams DR. Self-Reported Experiences of Discrimination and Health: Scientific Advances, Ongoing Controversies, and emerging Issues. \u003cem\u003eAnnu Rev Clin Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2015;11:407-440. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032814-112728\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWilliams DR, Gonz\u0026aacute;lez HM, Neighbors H, et al. Prevalence and distribution of major depressive disorder in African Americans, Caribbean blacks, and non-Hispanic whites: results from the National Survey of American Life. \u003cem\u003eArch Gen Psychiatry\u003c/em\u003e. 2007;64(3):305-315. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.3.305\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUtsey SO, Payne Y. Psychological impacts of racism in a clinical versus normal sample of African American men. \u003cem\u003eJ Afr Am Men\u003c/em\u003e. 2000;5(3):57-72. doi:10.1007/s12111-000-1004-9\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eJuzang I. Moving Young Black Men Beyond Survival Mode: Protective Factors for Their Mental Health. In: Majors R, Carberry K, S. Ransaw T, eds. \u003cem\u003eThe International Handbook of Black Community Mental Health\u003c/em\u003e. Emerald Publishing Limited; 2020:257-274. doi:10.1108/978-1-83909-964-920201017\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBennett GG, Merritt MM, Sollers III JJ, et al. Stress, coping, and health outcomes among African-Americans: a review of the John Henryism hypothesis. \u003cem\u003ePsychol Health\u003c/em\u003e. 2004;19(3):369-383. doi:10.1080/0887044042000193505\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eGaylord-Harden NK, Barbarin O, Tolan PH, Murry VM. Understanding development of African American boys and young men: Moving from risks to positive youth development. \u003cem\u003eAm Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2018;73(6):753-767. doi:10.1037/amp0000300\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAlcaraz KI, Eddens KS, Blase JL, et al. Social Isolation and Mortality in US Black and White Men and Women. \u003cem\u003eAm J Epidemiol\u003c/em\u003e. 2019;188(1):102-109. doi:10.1093/aje/kwy231\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMaruschak LM, Bronson J, Alper M. Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children. Published online March 30, 2021.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eArditti JA. \u003cem\u003eParental Incarceration and the Family: Psychological and Social Effects of Imprisonment on Children, Parents, and Caregivers\u003c/em\u003e. New York University Press; 2012. Accessed January 20, 2024. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/pitt-ebooks/detail.action?docID=865301\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBaker CE. Fathers\u0026rsquo; and Mothers\u0026rsquo; Home Literacy Involvement and Children\u0026rsquo;s Cognitive and Social Emotional Development: Implications for Family Literacy Programs. \u003cem\u003eAppl Dev Sci\u003c/em\u003e. 2013;17(4):184-197. doi:10.1080/10888691.2013.836034\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBaker CE. African American Fathers\u0026rsquo; Contributions to Children\u0026rsquo;s Early Academic Achievement: Evidence From Two-Parent Families From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study\u0026ndash;Birth Cohort. \u003cem\u003eEarly Educ Dev\u003c/em\u003e. 2014;25(1):19-35. doi:10.1080/10409289.2013.764225\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWildeman C, Wakefield S. The Long Arm of the Law: The Concentration of Incarceration in Families in the Era of Mass Incarceration. \u003cem\u003eJ Gend Race Justice\u003c/em\u003e. 2014;17(2):367-390.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eU.S. Census Bureau. Historical Living Arrangements of Children. Census.gov. Published September 21, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/children.html\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRambert O. The Absent Black Father: Race, the Welfare-Child Support System, and the Cyclical Nature of Fatherlessness Comments. \u003cem\u003eUCLA Law Rev\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;68(1):324-362.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eHuang CC, Mincy RB, Garfinkel I. Child Support Obligations and Low-Income Fathers. \u003cem\u003eJ Marriage Fam\u003c/em\u003e. 2005;67(5):1213-1225. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00211.x\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWatkins DC, Walker RL, Griffith DM. A Meta-Study of Black Male Mental Health and Well-Being. \u003cem\u003eJ Black Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2010;36(3):303-330. doi:10.1177/0095798409353756\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePowe PM, VanHook C, Collier A, et al. Black Fathers\u0026rsquo; Perspectives About Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress: Results From Focus Groups. \u003cem\u003eFam Soc\u003c/em\u003e. Published online November 6, 2023:10443894231193867. doi:10.1177/10443894231193867\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSinkewicz M, Lee R. Prevalence, Comorbidity, and Course of Depression Among Black Fathers in the United States. \u003cem\u003eRes Soc Work Pract\u003c/em\u003e. 2011;21(3):289-297. doi:10.1177/1049731510386497\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eChung G, Smith Q, Frey J, Lanier P. Associations between depression and parenting of fathers in Head Start and parental self-efficacy as a protective factor. \u003cem\u003eChild Youth Serv Rev\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;120:105758. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105758\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePatton S, Rollo T, Curry TJ. \u0026ldquo;The First Mark of Pain\u0026rdquo;: Toward a child-centered methodological reorientation of social theory, race and corporal punishment in American life. \u003cem\u003eSociol Compass\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;15(12):e12943. doi:10.1111/soc4.12943\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eTyrell FA, Masten AS. Father-child attachment in Black families: risk and protective processes. \u003cem\u003eAttach Hum Dev\u003c/em\u003e. 2022;24(3):274-286. doi:10.1080/14616734.2021.1976923\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eVaughn LM, Jones JR, Booth E, Burke JG. Concept mapping methodology and community-engaged research: A perfect pairing.\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eEvaluation and Program Planning\u003c/em\u003e. 2017;60:229-237. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.08.013\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eBurke JG, O\u0026rsquo;Campo P, Peak GL, Gielen AC, McDonnell KA, Trochim WMK. An Introduction to Concept Mapping as a Participatory Public Health Research Method. \u003cem\u003eQual Health Res\u003c/em\u003e. 2005;15(10):1392-1410. doi:10.1177/1049732305278876\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAnderson LA, Slonim A. Perspectives on the strategic uses of concept mapping to address public health challenges. \u003cem\u003eEval Program Plann\u003c/em\u003e. 2017;60:194-201. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.08.011\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eThe Concept System\u0026reg; Global MAX\u003csup\u003eTM\u003c/sup\u003e. Published online 2022. http://www.conceptsystemsglobal.com.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eKane M, Trochim WMK. \u003cem\u003eConcept Mapping for Planning and Evaluation\u003c/em\u003e. Sage Publications, Inc; 2007:xv, 200.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePeterson A, Charles V, Yeung D, Coyle K. The Health Equity Framework: A science- and Justice-based model for public health researchers and Practitioners. Health Promotion Practice. 2021;22(6):741-746. doi:10.1177/1524839920950730\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRoberson K, Pieterse AL. Internalized racism and self-esteem: Do depressive symptoms matter? \u003cem\u003eCultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2021;27(3):531-536. doi:10.1037/cdp0000453\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMereish EH, N\u0026rsquo;cho HS, Green CE, Jernigan MM, Helms JE. Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms Among Black American Men: Moderated-Mediation Effects of Ethnicity and Self-Esteem. \u003cem\u003eBehav Med\u003c/em\u003e. 2016;42(3):190-196. doi:10.1080/08964289.2016.1150804\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUmberson D, Thomeer MB, Williams K, Thomas PA, Liu H. Childhood Adversity and Men\u0026rsquo;s Relationships in Adulthood: Life Course Processes and Racial Disadvantage. \u003cem\u003eJ Gerontol Ser B\u003c/em\u003e. 2016;71(5):902-913. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbv091\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003ePowell W, Adams LB, Cole-Lewis Y, Agyemang A, Upton RD. Masculinity and Race-Related Factors as Barriers to Health Help-Seeking Among African American Men. \u003cem\u003eBehav Med Wash DC\u003c/em\u003e. 2016;42(3):150-163. doi:10.1080/08964289.2016.1165174\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCadaret MC, Speight SL. An Exploratory Study of Attitudes Toward Psychological Help Seeking Among African American Men. \u003cem\u003eJ Black Psychol\u003c/em\u003e. 2018;44(4):347-370. doi:10.1177/0095798418774655\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eThompson SD, Walker AC. Satisfaction with Parenting: A Comparison Between Adolescent Mothers and Fathers. \u003cem\u003eSex Roles\u003c/em\u003e. 2004;50(9):677-687. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000027569.27653.8e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFagan J, Bernd E, Whiteman V. Adolescent Fathers\u0026rsquo; Parenting Stress, Social Support, and Involvement with Infants. \u003cem\u003eJ Res Adolesc\u003c/em\u003e. 2007;17(1):1-22. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00510.x\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eEsposito L, Romano V. Benevolent racism: upholding racial inequality in the name of Black empowerment. \u003cem\u003eWest J Black Stud\u003c/em\u003e. 2014;38(2):69-84.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRosas SR, Kane M. Quality and rigor of the concept mapping methodology: A pooled study analysis. \u003cem\u003eEval Program Plann\u003c/em\u003e. 2012;35(2):236-245. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2011.10.003\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Tables","content":"\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"100%\" colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants (n = 8)\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCharacteristic\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003en (%)\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAge\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 30-39\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (37.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 40-49\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 50 and older\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (50.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMarital status\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Married\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 (62.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Divorced\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Never married\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (25.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNumber of biological children\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 0\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 1\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (25.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 3\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (25.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 4\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAge of biological children\u003csup\u003ei\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 0-9\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (10.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 10-19\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (40.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 20-29\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (15.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 30-39\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (10.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 40-49\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (15.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; 50 and older\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2 (10.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEducation \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; High school diploma or equivalent (GED)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Bachelor\u0026apos;s Degree\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (50.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Master\u0026apos;s Degree\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (37.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEmployment \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Yes\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8 (100.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; No\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndividual income\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; Less than $30,000\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1 (12.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; $30,000 - $74,999\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 (37.5)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"79.45619335347432%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; $75,000+\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"20.54380664652568%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4 (50.0)\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2. Cluster names and associated statements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"623\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCluster names\u003c/em\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStatement names (number)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1. Gatekeeper-less Resources \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eto be heard (1) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003efinancial literacy (9) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003etherapeutic support (23) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003elegal support (26) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eto feel appreciated (27) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eto no longer be seen as threats (30) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eto be accurately depicted as active parents (31) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eaccess to resources (44) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eaccess to people (45) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esafety (46) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003erehabilitation (54) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2. Tools of Relational Engagement \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eencouragement (5) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eefficiency as a leader (10) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003egentleness (18) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003econflict resolution skills (20) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ecareer development (22) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ecommunication skills (34) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003elove (39) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ediscipline (56) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eempathy (58) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3. Receptivity to Influence \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esustained and present role models (3) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ecommunity (4) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003emoney (6) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ekindness (7) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eunderstanding (14) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eintentional dads (16) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003epresent dads (17) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003efellowship with other fathers (28) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ementorship (29) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ewomen (40) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003econnectedness (60) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4. Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ean understanding of responsibility (19) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ea spiritual foundation (24) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003egood health (holistically) (33) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eexpectations (36) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eeducation (48) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5. Positive Internal Mindset \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003epeace (2) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ejoy (8) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003epositive self-image (11) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eself-awareness (12) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eacceptance (37) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eself-love (38) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003evulnerability (43) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eperseverance (50) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eopen-mindedness (51) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eroutine (57) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6. Purposeful Leadership \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eintegrity (13) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eauthenticity (15) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eself-control (21) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ea sense of purpose (25) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ecourage (32) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003evision (35) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003egoodness (41) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003efaith (42) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003econfidence (47) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ehumility (49) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003epatience (52) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eaccountability (53) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esense of identity (55) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"49.75922953451043%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd width=\"50.24077046548957%\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ecompetence (59) \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Black men in America face systemic and structural barriers that have persisted for years. These barriers create inequities that can negatively affect their physical and mental wellbeing and their fatherhood and family experiences. Previous research on Black fathers has highlighted deficits, with minimal studies focused on solutions, particularly as conceptualized by Black men themselves. Based in health equity, the current study utilized concept mapping, a community-based participatory research method, to assess what Black men in America need to flourish in the socioecological context in which they live. Black participants (n = 9), from a pre-established community advisory board that is working on a peer intervention to address early childhood adversity and toxic stress in the Black community, brainstormed 60 unique items associated with Black father flourishing and grouped these items into 6 unique clusters. Two clusters focused on Black men seeing themselves, their purpose, and their fatherhood role in a positive light (Positive Internal Mindset; Purposeful Leadership), 2 focused on healthy relationships (Sustained Mentorship and Accountable Growth; Receptivity to Influence), 1 focused on the tools necessary to build and maintain healthy relationships (Tools of Relational Engagement), and 1 focused on equitable access to external resources (Gatekeeper-less Resources). Participants ranked “a sense of purpose” and “positive self-image\" as most important to Black father flourishing and “mentorship” and “encouragement” as the most feasible to address through a peer intervention. By centering the voices of Black men and those who support them, this study highlights stakeholder priorities about best practices for Black fatherhood.","manuscriptTitle":"Black Dad Shine: A Concept Mapping Approach to Identifying the Qualities of Black Father Flourishing","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-03-21 18:15:51","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4110380/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"64fce387-55c4-4474-8ec8-f9c134b56cdd","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 21st, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-05-02T16:25:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-03-21 18:15:51","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4110380","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4110380","identity":"rs-4110380","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}