Joshua Jeong

Research Focus

Joshua Jeong’s research examines the role of fathers in promoting early child development in low- and middle-income countries. He combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies and focuses his research towards designing, implementing, and evaluating parenting programs to support young children and families in low-resource settings. He is currently collaborating with community-based organizations, international organizations, and governments in Tanzania and Kenya to test different interventions aimed at enhancing nurturing care and improving early child development.

My plans for the fellowship period

During my fellowship, I will expand the scope of a planned parenting intervention for couples with young children in Tanzania by specifically testing different strategies for recruiting and engaging fathers in the community-based program. This study will inform adaptations to program design and delivery to increase its reach and potential for involving fathers. In addition to my intervention research, I will explore new measures for assessing father involvement, including using technology-based measures, and assess the feasibility and validity of these tools for use with male caregivers in the context of Tanzania.

How will my work change children’s and youth’s lives?

My research will extend beyond the traditional maternal-focused perspective on parenting by providing new insights into the role of fathers in supporting the development and wellbeing of young children and families in low-resource settings. My intervention research can inform the design and delivery of more gender-sensitive and family-inclusive parenting programs that engage not only mothers but also fathers to maximize program impacts on child and family outcomes. My measurement research can guide the development of ecologically valid tools for assessing fathers’ contributions to child development in low-resource settings.