Jeffrey Shears
Biographic Data
| ID | 173902 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jeffrey Shears |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jeffrey |
| FAMILY NAME | Shears |
| SIGNATURE | SHEARS J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Colorado State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6953-5650 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 56 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Black Fathers Portrayals and Characterizations of Black Fatherhood in Television Commercials
Preparing and Protecting
Black fathers play an essential role in shaping their children’s racial identity and self-perception. Despite persistent stereotypes portraying Black fathers as absent or uninvolved, research demonstrates that they are deeply engaged in their children’s lives. While much of the existing scholarship focuses on mothers’ roles in racial socialization, less is known about how fathers contribute to these practices, particularly with daughters. Societa…
Be There, Listen, See What It Is They Need’
There is a critical public health crisis regarding the infant mortality rate between black and white mothers in the USA. This issue is more pronounced in North Carolina, where black infants have a much higher infant mortality rate than whites. We utilized a qualitative approach to understand the paternal support of black mothers during the perinatal period. Purposive sampling was used to recruit parents from an infant development center to conduc…
Barriers to and Facilitators of Paternal Engagement for Black Fathers in Fulton County, Georgia
The current study explores the experiences of nonresidential fathers and the potential barriers to engagement with their children. Using a phenomenological approach, we explored issues of perceived parenting supports, co-parenting, and self-efficacy, and how these might impact fathering behaviors and attitudes. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 self-identified Black fathers in Fulton County Georgia. The results indi…
Married Black men's observations of fathers' teachings about husbandhood
It is important to investigate the ways in which sons learn about marriage from men, including biological fathers, male relatives, and social fathers. This study's purpose is to explore Black sons' observations of fathers' teachings about husbandhood. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 52 married Black men who participated in the Pathways to Marriage project in 2010. Findings highlighted developmental pathways and family processes rela…
Parent–youth communication to reduce at-risk sexual behavior
There are nearly 110 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that annually there are more than 19.7 million new STI cases. Of those, more than half are accounted for by youth aged 15 to 24 years. Although some STIs are not considered to be life threatening, they can lead to severe health problems, risk of HIV infection or infertility if they are not prop…
Examining the impact of family services on homeless children
This study examined the impact on children of services delivered through a collaborative initiative designed to provide supports to working poor families who are homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. Overall, a number of positive findings can serve to inform the development of promising intervention strategies for children in homeless families and highlight areas for further research. Along with improved housing status, there was a …
HIV/Aids Course Content in CSWE-Accredited Social Work Programs
The authors surveyed program directors at all bachelor of social work and master of social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education using an online tool that assessed whether and how their respective social work programs are covering content related to HIV/AIDS. Of the 650 program directors, 153 (24%) participated in the survey. Programs reported coverage of HIV/AIDS content in various foundation content areas, including h…
Understanding Fathering among Native-American Men
This study explores fathering among self identified Native American men who have been identified as father or father figure to children involved in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. This research study highlights United States policies and their effects on Native American families particularly fathers. In addition, Native American fathers in this study reported that 'being there' for their child was important and described how…
An Institute for Social Capital
Understanding Differences in Fathering Activities Across Race and Ethnicity
This study examines the differences in self-reported fathering activities of men who were reported to be a residential biological father or father figure. Specifically, this study examines self-reported fathering activities which include physical play activities, social skills activities, cognitive activities, and caregiving activities across African American, European American, and Latino fathers of low income families. The subjects for this stu…
The Perceptions of Mexican-American Men as Fathers
This qualitative study explores the lived experience of self-identified Mexican men as fathers. The sample consists of 47 biological fathers of children residing in Denver, Colorado, all whom are participating in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. The data suggests that these fathers engaged in traditionally conceptualized fathering roles. These men expressed the importance of being there, teaching, meeting the child's needs, b…
School Bonding and Substance Use in Rural Communities
Adolescent substance use in U.S. rural communities is now equal to or greater than urban use for many substances. Yet much research focuses on urban and suburban populations, raising doubt as to the generalizability of etiological models of substance use to rural populations. This study examines whether the relationship between school bonding and alcohol and drug use depends on level of rurality of the community in which an adolescent lives. Data…
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Objective. We examine the relation between low-income fathers' presence in their children's lives and their children's early developmental outcomes using data from Early Head Start. Design. We grouped 1,930 children into 5 "classes" using maternal reports of fathers' presence and connectedness with the child. We developed the 5 mutually exclusive classes based on biological relatedness, residence in the home or frequency of contact, and stability…
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development
This Special Issue presents a series of studies on men who functioned as fathers in the Early Head Start National Evaluation Study. The pieces focused on how these men viewed themselves as fathers, what they did with and for their children, how that mattered in the lives of children, and what Early Head Start programs were doing to try to foster positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. This final article reflects on those e…
The Early Head Start Father Studies
In this introductory article to the Special Issue, we provide an overview of the research and policy context for the Early Head Start Father Studies. We describe the methods used to conduct the father studies, which began in 1997 and were designed to complement the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, a random assignment evaluation of 3,001 families - half who received Early Head Start services and half who did not. The Early Head St…
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development
The Early Head Start Father Studies
Fathering relationships and their associations with juvenile delinquency
This study explores the intergenerational transmission of fathering by addressing the associations between men's relationship with their father, their attachment to their children, self‐assessment of themselves as fathers, and antisocial behavior. Subjects for this study were 87 men who were identified as fathers or father figures by women involved in two Early Head Start sites in Denver, Colorado. They were interviewed about their experiences wh…
Parent–youth communication to reduce at-risk sexual behavior
There are nearly 110 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that annually there are more than 19.7 million new STI cases. Of those, more than half are accounted for by youth aged 15 to 24 years. Although some STIs are not considered to be life threatening, they can lead to severe health problems, risk of HIV infection or infertility if they are not prop…
The Early Head Start Father Studies
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Objective. We examine the relation between low-income fathers' presence in their children's lives and their children's early developmental outcomes using data from Early Head Start. Design. We grouped 1,930 children into 5 "classes" using maternal reports of fathers' presence and connectedness with the child. We developed the 5 mutually exclusive classes based on biological relatedness, residence in the home or frequency of contact, and stability…
School Bonding and Substance Use in Rural Communities
Adolescent substance use in U.S. rural communities is now equal to or greater than urban use for many substances. Yet much research focuses on urban and suburban populations, raising doubt as to the generalizability of etiological models of substance use to rural populations. This study examines whether the relationship between school bonding and alcohol and drug use depends on level of rurality of the community in which an adolescent lives. Data…
Understanding Fathering among Native-American Men
This study explores fathering among self identified Native American men who have been identified as father or father figure to children involved in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. This research study highlights United States policies and their effects on Native American families particularly fathers. In addition, Native American fathers in this study reported that 'being there' for their child was important and described how…
Understanding Differences in Fathering Activities Across Race and Ethnicity
This study examines the differences in self-reported fathering activities of men who were reported to be a residential biological father or father figure. Specifically, this study examines self-reported fathering activities which include physical play activities, social skills activities, cognitive activities, and caregiving activities across African American, European American, and Latino fathers of low income families. The subjects for this stu…
The Early Head Start Father Studies
In this introductory article to the Special Issue, we provide an overview of the research and policy context for the Early Head Start Father Studies. We describe the methods used to conduct the father studies, which began in 1997 and were designed to complement the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, a random assignment evaluation of 3,001 families - half who received Early Head Start services and half who did not. The Early Head St…
Fathering relationships and their associations with juvenile delinquency
This study explores the intergenerational transmission of fathering by addressing the associations between men's relationship with their father, their attachment to their children, self‐assessment of themselves as fathers, and antisocial behavior. Subjects for this study were 87 men who were identified as fathers or father figures by women involved in two Early Head Start sites in Denver, Colorado. They were interviewed about their experiences wh…
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development
This Special Issue presents a series of studies on men who functioned as fathers in the Early Head Start National Evaluation Study. The pieces focused on how these men viewed themselves as fathers, what they did with and for their children, how that mattered in the lives of children, and what Early Head Start programs were doing to try to foster positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. This final article reflects on those e…
Examining the impact of family services on homeless children
This study examined the impact on children of services delivered through a collaborative initiative designed to provide supports to working poor families who are homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. Overall, a number of positive findings can serve to inform the development of promising intervention strategies for children in homeless families and highlight areas for further research. Along with improved housing status, there was a …
Fathering relationships and their associations with juvenile delinquency
This study explores the intergenerational transmission of fathering by addressing the associations between men's relationship with their father, their attachment to their children, self‐assessment of themselves as fathers, and antisocial behavior. Subjects for this study were 87 men who were identified as fathers or father figures by women involved in two Early Head Start sites in Denver, Colorado. They were interviewed about their experiences wh…
School Bonding and Substance Use in Rural Communities
Adolescent substance use in U.S. rural communities is now equal to or greater than urban use for many substances. Yet much research focuses on urban and suburban populations, raising doubt as to the generalizability of etiological models of substance use to rural populations. This study examines whether the relationship between school bonding and alcohol and drug use depends on level of rurality of the community in which an adolescent lives. Data…
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Relation Between Father Connectedness and Child Outcomes
Objective. We examine the relation between low-income fathers' presence in their children's lives and their children's early developmental outcomes using data from Early Head Start. Design. We grouped 1,930 children into 5 "classes" using maternal reports of fathers' presence and connectedness with the child. We developed the 5 mutually exclusive classes based on biological relatedness, residence in the home or frequency of contact, and stability…
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development
This Special Issue presents a series of studies on men who functioned as fathers in the Early Head Start National Evaluation Study. The pieces focused on how these men viewed themselves as fathers, what they did with and for their children, how that mattered in the lives of children, and what Early Head Start programs were doing to try to foster positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. This final article reflects on those e…
The Early Head Start Father Studies
In this introductory article to the Special Issue, we provide an overview of the research and policy context for the Early Head Start Father Studies. We describe the methods used to conduct the father studies, which began in 1997 and were designed to complement the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, a random assignment evaluation of 3,001 families - half who received Early Head Start services and half who did not. The Early Head St…
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development
The Early Head Start Father Studies
Understanding Differences in Fathering Activities Across Race and Ethnicity
This study examines the differences in self-reported fathering activities of men who were reported to be a residential biological father or father figure. Specifically, this study examines self-reported fathering activities which include physical play activities, social skills activities, cognitive activities, and caregiving activities across African American, European American, and Latino fathers of low income families. The subjects for this stu…
The Perceptions of Mexican-American Men as Fathers
This qualitative study explores the lived experience of self-identified Mexican men as fathers. The sample consists of 47 biological fathers of children residing in Denver, Colorado, all whom are participating in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. The data suggests that these fathers engaged in traditionally conceptualized fathering roles. These men expressed the importance of being there, teaching, meeting the child's needs, b…
An Institute for Social Capital
HIV/Aids Course Content in CSWE-Accredited Social Work Programs
The authors surveyed program directors at all bachelor of social work and master of social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education using an online tool that assessed whether and how their respective social work programs are covering content related to HIV/AIDS. Of the 650 program directors, 153 (24%) participated in the survey. Programs reported coverage of HIV/AIDS content in various foundation content areas, including h…
Understanding Fathering among Native-American Men
This study explores fathering among self identified Native American men who have been identified as father or father figure to children involved in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. This research study highlights United States policies and their effects on Native American families particularly fathers. In addition, Native American fathers in this study reported that 'being there' for their child was important and described how…
Examining the impact of family services on homeless children
This study examined the impact on children of services delivered through a collaborative initiative designed to provide supports to working poor families who are homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless. Overall, a number of positive findings can serve to inform the development of promising intervention strategies for children in homeless families and highlight areas for further research. Along with improved housing status, there was a …
Married Black men's observations of fathers' teachings about husbandhood
It is important to investigate the ways in which sons learn about marriage from men, including biological fathers, male relatives, and social fathers. This study's purpose is to explore Black sons' observations of fathers' teachings about husbandhood. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 52 married Black men who participated in the Pathways to Marriage project in 2010. Findings highlighted developmental pathways and family processes rela…
Parent–youth communication to reduce at-risk sexual behavior
There are nearly 110 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that annually there are more than 19.7 million new STI cases. Of those, more than half are accounted for by youth aged 15 to 24 years. Although some STIs are not considered to be life threatening, they can lead to severe health problems, risk of HIV infection or infertility if they are not prop…
Barriers to and Facilitators of Paternal Engagement for Black Fathers in Fulton County, Georgia
The current study explores the experiences of nonresidential fathers and the potential barriers to engagement with their children. Using a phenomenological approach, we explored issues of perceived parenting supports, co-parenting, and self-efficacy, and how these might impact fathering behaviors and attitudes. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 self-identified Black fathers in Fulton County Georgia. The results indi…
Black Fathers Portrayals and Characterizations of Black Fatherhood in Television Commercials
Preparing and Protecting
Black fathers play an essential role in shaping their children’s racial identity and self-perception. Despite persistent stereotypes portraying Black fathers as absent or uninvolved, research demonstrates that they are deeply engaged in their children’s lives. While much of the existing scholarship focuses on mothers’ roles in racial socialization, less is known about how fathers contribute to these practices, particularly with daughters. Societa…
Be There, Listen, See What It Is They Need’
There is a critical public health crisis regarding the infant mortality rate between black and white mothers in the USA. This issue is more pronounced in North Carolina, where black infants have a much higher infant mortality rate than whites. We utilized a qualitative approach to understand the paternal support of black mothers during the perinatal period. Purposive sampling was used to recruit parents from an infant development center to conduc…
Psychology (16 works) · Developmental psychology (14 works) · Family Dynamics and Relationships (14 works) · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving (8 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Head start (6 works) · Social Psychology (6 works) · Work-Family Balance Challenges (6 works) · Medicine (5 works) · Early Head Start (4 works)