Empathic connection or addictive flight? : helping fathers in recovery from addiction develop empathic relationships with their children

This thesis explores the relationship between empathy and parenting in a sample of fathers recovering from addiction. It considers whether and how the development of empathic parenting skills can facilitate changes in emotion regulation and positive attachment to their children, and considers the implications of focusing on supporting men as fathers for their recovery. Previous research has identified reduced capacities for empathy and emotion regulation in people experiencing addictions compared to those without addictions. The present study investigated firstly whether differences in attachment, empathy and emotion regulation would correlate with the presence or absence of addiction in a sample of fathers. Having established this to be the case, particularly with respect to empathy and emotion regulation, phase 2 of this study explored whether training in empathic parenting skills could help fathers undergoing treatment for addictions to improve their relationships with their children, their perceptions of themselves as fathers, and their sense of wellbeing. While the link between addictions in fathers and diminished health outcomes in their children is well established, there has been little research to date that has studied the perspectives of fathers themselves during the recovery process. Accordingly, this research also sought to explore the parenting experiences of a sample of fathers as they recovered from addictions in two residential rehabilitation centres in Sydney, Australia, in 2013. The focus on the men’s experiences encompassed two key questions: How do fathers recovering from addictions experience changing relationships with their children? What other changes take place for these recovering fathers throughout the parenting program? The two phases of this research were designed as a mixed-method study, consisting of an initial quantitative survey of 169 fathers who responded to questionnaires that assessed their attachment to their children, their difficulties with emotion regulation, their mental and physical health symptoms, and their social, cognitive and affective empathy. The following second phase was designed as an in-depth multiple case study that involved seven fathers in the two residential rehabilitation centres. The results were encouraging, as each of the seven fathers told of positive change in their lives. Through the recovery process the men described themselves and their children differently, as their children became more important to them and their confidence grew in those relationships. It was clear that fatherhood was a significant concern for these men, and their relationships with their children a central motivator for them. The men were thus able to develop greater emotion regulation themselves through learning about how their children learn to manage emotions and how they as fathers can help, in addition to emotion regulation exercises focusing on their own wellbeing as fathers. The change in the fathers’ comments and questionnaire responses between the beginning and end of the parenting program also showed evidence of closer empathy-related attachment (‘empathic connection’) to their children, which is thought to underlie both the recovery process and their relationships with their children. The implications of these results are profound. Firstly, this study has found that men with major histories of addiction still have the ability, with positive support and improved emotional awareness, to form an empathic connection with their children. Secondly, providing a means for these men to focus on fatherhood within their recovery program has also helped facilitate a greater awareness of being positive role models for their children. This in turn led some of the fathers to report that their children showed not only more respect towards them, but perhaps most importantly, improved wellbeing

Implementation of social and emotional learning

While social and emotional learning (SEL) can have many benefits for psychosocial development and well-being, the extent to which the benefits of SEL are realised depends to a large extent on how well it is implemented. This chapter takes up the question of what is necessary for effective implementation of SEL initiatives and why it is important to attend to implementation factors when undertaking SEL in schools and other settings. Included in the discussion is a consideration of policy settings and curriculum frameworks that provide important context and support for SEL implementation in schools. Critical research-based factors for effective implementation of SEL programmes are identified and discussed. The chapter also provides a detailed examination of the benefits and components of systemic approaches to implementation using a whole school approach