What are the experiences of young men in the United Kingdom transitioning to becoming a father for the first time?

Purpose: To explore the lived experiences of young men in the United Kingdom (UK) who became a father for the first time at a young age. Methods: The study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of interviews with four young men in the UK who had become a father for the first time between the age of 16 and 25 years old. Recruitment was via organisations that provide practical and emotional support to young people. These include children’s centres and charities aimed at facilitating young people to increase their social support networks. The IPA process involved analysing the data from in-depth semi-structured interviews individually and eventually identifying superordinate themes from across the interviews. Results: Three superordinate themes emerged from the interviews that were thought to be most pertinent to understanding the experiences of the young fathers: Developing an identity as a father; Coming to terms with the responsibilities of fatherhood; and Networks. Interviewees spoke of a gradual process of adjustment to becoming a father whilst reflecting on their readiness for fatherhood at their specific age. They described struggles in supporting their family and the increased sense of responsibility that they experienced. Participants did not discuss these challenges as being directly linked to their young age. Interviewees discussed the varying degrees of support they had received, particularly commenting on negative interactions with health professionals. Experiences of support from friends and family members varied. Conclusions: This study provides an in-depth insight into the experiences of four young men becoming a father for the first time. It highlights both the challenges and the gratifications that the transition to fatherhood at a young age can have and the impact that the transition can have upon wider relationships. While participants did not explicitly relate any difficulties as being a direct result of their age, the findings do suggest that transition to fatherhood at a young age may create a conflict in identity development which can lead to an increased need for support.