Assessment with Fathers: Recognizing Strengths, Challenges, and Contexts

This chapter examines the assessment process with fathers. This chapter begins with a discussion of the significance of fathers and their involvement. It includes an examination of the importance of conducting a comprehensive assessment that focuses on father strengths and challenges. By understanding fathers’ strengths, practitioners can build on existing resources, both internal and external. To effectively intervene, practitioners must understand the historical and current needs and challenges of fathers. A primary focus of this chapter is the assessment of father involvement and the quality of fathering he provides his children. This chapter then discusses the relevance of understanding fluidity—changes in the father’s status, context, and parenting situation over time rather than assuming these are stagnant factors. Content includes the use of father-friendly assessment tools and strategies to accurately assess overall health and well-being. This chapter provides recommendations for practitioners and programs to improve assessment processes for fathers and strategies to make assessment more welcoming and useful.