Fathering in diverse socio-cultural contexts: Special issue editorial and commentary

Abstract

Despite the increased number of studies focusing on fathers, or including fathers in their samples, men, in many cases, tend to be viewed as secondary caregivers, and as a lesser contributor to child development (e.g., Cabrera et al., 2018). Also, when included in parenting studies, fathers are often looked through the lenses of the mother, and not their own, and by using assessment tools designed for mothers. We should also acknowledge that a large percentage of studies tend to focus on Anglo-Saxon samples, overlooking other socio-cultural groups, although parenting occurs in the most diverse contexts, with common as well as specific challenges (e.g., Diniz et al., 2021). During the last decades several authors have highlighted these limitations, with important contributions both at a theorical and methodological level (e.g., Cabrera et al., 2014; Volling & Cabrera, 2019; Lamb, 2010).