Indian Immigrant, First-Time Parents' Voices on Fathering and Fatherhood: A Straussian Grounded Theory (SGT) Approach

Abstract

Fatherhood has increasingly been recognized globally as central to child-rearing and family well-being. Despite growing awareness of family-centred perinatal care, research, policy, and healthcare systems have provided limited attention to the experiences of fathers, particularly those from racialized and immigrant communities.

Objective: This study explored the experiences of first-time Indian immigrant fathers who had recently arrived in Canada (within 5 years) as they navigated parenthood within Canada’s perinatal care system. It addressed gaps in understanding how the fathers adapted emotionally, culturally, and relationally to fatherhood in a new societal context.

Methods: Guided by an interpretivist paradigm, this qualitative study employed Straussian Grounded Theory combined with dyadic analysis. Data were generated through in-depth individual interviews with 20 heterosexual, married Indian immigrant parents (10 couples), whose infants were aged 3-15 months. Most participants held postsecondary education, were employed full-time, and were permanent residents or citizens of Canada. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, supported by in vivo codes, constant comparison, and dyadic narrative comparison to explore both individual and relational processes influencing experiences of fatherhood.

Results: The analysis yielded one core theoretical category, “Pivoting into Fatherhood,” supported by six interrelated shared categories and associated subcategories. These shared categories captured fathers’ emotional and identity shifts; progressive engagement across pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period; migration and work-related structural influences; and evolving relational and caregiving dynamics within couples. Fathers’ accounts demonstrated a movement from traditionally provider-oriented roles toward being more engaged and emotionally present. They shared caregiving practices, shaped by cultural continuity, migration-related constraints, and ongoing relational negotiation with partners.

Conclusions: Overall, the findings offered a nuanced, relational account of immigrant fatherhood, illuminating how fathers adapted their caregiving identities and practices within a new sociocultural and healthcare context. The resulting Pivoting into Fatherhood Theory conceptualized fatherhood as a dynamic, action-oriented process rather than a fixed role. This study contributes to fatherhood scholarship, family-centred perinatal care, and immigrant health research by advancing a culturally situated, dyadic understanding of fathering and generating practice- and policy-relevant insights to support father-inclusive, culturally safe perinatal systems.