Fathering and Being Fathered: Developmental Interdependence

This chapter presents a relational understanding of fathering and being fathered. The theoretical and empirical literature reviewed will establish that fathering and being fathered represent interdependent experiences that have life-altering, developmental consequences for both fathers and their children. A central focus of the chapter is to elaborate how father-child relationships are conducted and experienced to bring developmental benefits and outcomes of the interdependent meanings and processes that occur in the context of everyday intergenerational father-child relationships.