Addressing Parental Gatekeeping in Early-Intervention Services: Engaging all Caregivers.

The successful implementation of early interventions (EIs) within families is crucial in mitigating language and developmental delays in young children. Considering that language acquisition primarily occurs through interactions between caregivers and children, parental involvement plays a significant role in EI services. Working within families where one parent interferes with the involvement of the child's other parent or caregiver can be challenging for service providers. This article examines parental gatekeeping-a concept from the family science literature that can have a significant impact on services provided by speech language pathologists (SLPs). We outline and provide examples of family dynamics that may pose challenges to SLPs working with young children and their families as well as provide strategies for effectively navigating and working within these dynamics.

College men, unplanned pregnancy, and marriage: what do they expect?

We conducted a qualitative content analysis of written responses from 148 college men to questions about pregnancy resolution and marriage in the event of an unplanned pregnancy. We used Marsiglio's ( 1991 ) concepts of procreative consciousness and responsibility as a source of theoretical sensitivity during data analysis. Men's written comments were analyzed using a modified version of the grounded theory method of open, axial, and selective coding. Three distinct groups emerged: "I expect to raise my child" (86.5%); "I don't expect to raise the child" (10.1%); and "I expect to let my partner decide" (3.4%). Several subgroups also emerged among men who intended to raise the unplanned child: Yes, I expect to get married; "No, I don't expect to get married"; "I don't know if we'd marry"; and "My partner and I would coparent." Across subgroups, conditional variations and reasons underlying expectations were noted. Much variability was observed in men's descriptions of their procreative responsibility. A majority expressed high expectations for personal obligation and responsibility if involved in an unplanned pregnancy. Future research on men's sexual and reproductive health and procreative consciousness and responsibility are discussed.