National Fatherhood Initiative's 24/7 Dad
Evidence Ratings
Scientifically Supported: Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Some Evidence: Strategies with this rating are likely to work, but further research is needed to confirm effects. These strategies have been tested more than once and results trend positive overall.
Expert Opinion: Strategies with this rating are recommended by credible, impartial experts but have limited research documenting effects; further research, often with stronger designs, is needed to confirm effects.
Insufficient Evidence: Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Mixed Evidence: Strategies with this rating have been tested more than once and results are inconsistent or trend negative; further research is needed to confirm effects.
Evidence of Ineffectiveness: Strategies with this rating are not good investments. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently negative and sometimes harmful results. Learn more about our methods
Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Evidence Ratings
Scientifically Supported: Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Some Evidence: Strategies with this rating are likely to work, but further research is needed to confirm effects. These strategies have been tested more than once and results trend positive overall.
Expert Opinion: Strategies with this rating are recommended by credible, impartial experts but have limited research documenting effects; further research, often with stronger designs, is needed to confirm effects.
Insufficient Evidence: Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Mixed Evidence: Strategies with this rating have been tested more than once and results are inconsistent or trend negative; further research is needed to confirm effects.
Evidence of Ineffectiveness: Strategies with this rating are not good investments. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently negative and sometimes harmful results. Learn more about our methods
Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Health factors shape the health of individuals and communities. Everything from our education to our environments impacts our health. Modifying these clinical, behavioral, social, economic, and environmental factors can influence how long and how well people live, now and in the future.
Retired strategies are no longer updated.
24/7 Dad is a voluntary, comprehensive fatherhood program designed to help men improve their parenting skills and fathering knowledge. The program focuses on building self-awareness, self-caring, and parenting, fathering, and relationship skills through 12 weekly, two-hour group or individual sessions1.
What could this strategy improve?
Expected Benefits
Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:
Improved parenting
Potential Benefits
Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:
Improved family functioning
What does the research say about effectiveness?
There is insufficient evidence to determine whether 24/7 Dad improves parenting skills. Available evidence suggests that program participation may improve knowledge about and attitudes towards parenting for a variety of populations2, 3, 4, including those under correctional supervision5. Program participation may also increase fathers’ involvement with their children and improve the quality of the parent-child relationship2. Additional evidence is needed to confirm effects.
How could this strategy impact health disparities? This strategy is rated no impact on disparities likely.
Implementation Resources
NFI-Fathersource - National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI). Fathersource.
Footnotes
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1 NFI - National Fatherhood Initiative.
2 Lewin-Bizan 2015 - Lewin-Bizan S. 24/7 Dad Program in Hawaii: Sample, design, and preliminary results. National Fatherhood Initiative; 2015.
3 Hyra 2011 - Hyra A. Outcome evaluation of Puerto Rican Family Institute’s fatherhood involvement grant activities. Washington, D.C.: Hyra Consulting; 2011.
4 Evans-Rhodes 2010 - Evans-Rhodes D. Dads matters performance measure 2009-2010: Preliminary results for confidence and knowledge. Germantown: National Fatherhood Initiative; 2010.
5 da Rosa 2012 - da Rosa GD, Melby JN. Report on prisoner reentry project: Analysis of 24/7 Dad pre- and post-test results. Ames: Iowa State University; 2012.
To see citations and implementation resources for this strategy, visit:
countyhealthrankings.org/strategies-and-solutions/what-works-for-health/strategies/national-fatherhood-initiatives-247-dad
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countyhealthrankings.org/whatworks