ABSTRACT
In psychological literature, when discussing fathers, researchers are referring to biological fathers residing in the same home as their children (Krohn & Bogan, 2001; Lamb, 1975). Much of the literature in the social sciences speaks about African American* fathers being absent but neglects the presence of peripheral fathers or father figures in the child’s life (Connor & White, 2006). The term father figure refers to men who are not biological fathers but assume some of the roles and responsibilities of the father. The omission of these groups has led to a stigmatization of the African American family, specifically African American fathers.
