| Recent studies have found an association between teenage fatherhood and delinquent behaviors, including violence. The present investigation addresses the types of violence teenage fathers have been involved in (e.g. gang-related, violence toward females), and whether violent fathers are more or less likely to be living with their children. In the Pittsburgh Youth Study, 22% of participants have fathered a child by age 19. Using seven years of followup data 110 teenage fathers are compared to 326 non-fathers. Although teenage fathers were no more likely than non-fathers to be involved in any type of delinquency, fathers were more than twice as likely as non-fathers to be involved in violence (OR = 2.07, 95% C.I. = 1. 10-3.92). The proportion of fathers engaging in violence did not differ according to whether or not they lived with their children In terms of the 41m of violence, teen fathers were almost three times as likely as non-fathers to have been involved in gang fighting (OR~-2.97, 95% C-1- = 1.43-6. 18). In contrast, the proportion of fathers who had ever committed rape (2.79%o) was not significantly different than the proportion among non-fathers (4.3%). The results are discussed in relation to policy-making and interventions. |
Updated 05/20/2006