Preliminary outcomes and experiences of fathers participating in a multicomponent parenting program for couples with young children: a pre-post mixed-methods pilot study

ABSTRACT Fathers play a critical role in caregiving and family relationships. However, relatively few parenting programs have invited or evaluated effects on fathers. Familia Bora is a multicomponent parenting intervention co-designed to engage fathers and mothers in promoting parenting, couples’ relationships, caregiver mental health, gender equity, and early childhood development. This pilot aimed to explore preliminary changes in father-level outcomes using a single-group pre-post convergent mixed-methods design in six communities in Mwanza, Tanzania. Sixty-two couples with a child aged 0-2 years were enrolled in weekly group sessions over approximately four months (July-November 2024). Fathers completed baseline and endline surveys on parenting, couples’ relationship dynamics, mental health, and gender attitudes and roles. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with sub-samples of parents at baseline, midline, and endline. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired comparisons and reported as standardized mean differences, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to contextualize these patterns and assess the credibility and meaning of observed quantitative signals. Pre-post surveys were completed by 58 fathers (95%). Fathers reported moderate-to-large improvements across most domains, including more gender equitable attitudes, involvement in caregiving and household activities, early stimulation, nutrition knowledge, joint decision-making, and reduced intimate partner violence perpetration. Fathers also reported increased parenting self-efficacy and reduced parenting stress and depressive symptoms. Changes in fathers’ disciplinary practices, conflict resolution strategies, and partner support were small-to-null. Qualitative findings largely corroborated these patterns and uncovered key impact pathways, including acquisition of new parenting skills, shifts toward more equitable gender norms, strengthened coparenting and respect, and improved coping and emotion regulation. These results provide promising preliminary evidence that a father-inclusive, couples-based parenting intervention has the potential to improve a wide range of father-level outcomes over a relatively short implementation period. Findings highlight opportunities for program refinement and support further evaluation to assess the effectiveness of Familia Bora .