Study: Fatherhood Good for Men

While many studies have shown that a father's involvement improves a child's well-being, newer research finds that fatherhood affects the men, too, USA TODAY reports. "We're finding that [fatherhood] does have mental health, well-being and actual physical health benefits," says David DeGarmo, a research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center. DeGarmo is lead author of a 2010 study that found when a father was more involved with his kids, "he had better health, drank less and had lower substance use." Other recent findings have shown that "fatherhood prompts men to be less self-centered, more giving and more outward-focused," says Richard Settersten, Jr., professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University. "It can prompt them to be more responsible and become more mature, especially to temper some of their risks." He says involved fathering promotes "more positive attachments and relationships."