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Father-child relationships from the preschool years through mid-adolescence
1Department of Human Development and Family Studies University of Missouri-Columbia.
Insights
Fathering behaviors and father-child relationships change significantly from preschool to adolescence. Parenting is dynamic, adapting to a child
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Child Development
Background:
- Fathering and father-child relationships are crucial for child development.
- Understanding the longitudinal changes in fathering is essential.
- Previous research has not fully captured the dynamic nature of fathering across childhood and adolescence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine variations in fathering and father-child relationships from preschool through mid-adolescence.
- To identify changes in fathers' childrearing practices, attitudes, parental role involvement, and role satisfaction.
- To explore how fathering adapts to the child's developmental stage.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 177 fathers of first-born children.
- Data collected at four child age points: 4, 8, 12, and 16 years.
- Utilized five sets of questionnaires assessing four domains of childrearing.
Main Results:
- Significant variations were found in fathers' acceptance in childrearing practices across age groups.
- Fathers' role involvement (frequency and task sharing) showed significant changes.
- Attitudes towards child behavior modifiability and satisfaction with paternal role performance varied significantly with child age.
Conclusions:
- Fathering is a dynamic process that evolves throughout a child's development.
- Parenting behaviors and attitudes are responsive to the child's developmental level.
- Findings support the view of parenting as adaptive to the child's changing needs and characteristics.
Abstract:
In this study, we examined variations in fathering and father-child relationships from the children's preschool years through mid-adolescence. One hundred seventy-seven fathers with first-born children ages 4, 8, 12, and 16 years responded to five sets of questionnaires tapping four domains of childrearing: practices, attitudes, parental role involvement, and role satisfaction. A multivariate analysis of variance identified significant variability among the four age groups in fathers' use of acceptance in childrearing practices, role involvement (frequency and task sharing), satisfaction with paternal role performance, and attitudes about the modifiability of child behavior. The results contribute new information about the nature of fathering throughout the childhood years and adolescence and provide additional support for the view of parenting as dynamic and responsive to the developmental level and gender-related characteristics of the child.