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Parents' testosterone and children's perception of parent-child relationship quality
Cassandra Dorius1, Alan Booth, Jacob Hibel
1Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson St, Room 2032, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA. cdorius@umich.edu
Abstract:
We examine the link between parental testosterone and children's perceptions of their relationship with their mother and father. Using data from 352 predominantly white working and middle class families, we find no direct link between mother's and father's testosterone and parent-child closeness. However, the association between mothers' testosterone and mother-child closeness appears to be influenced by the quality of two other family relationships. When father's marital satisfaction is low, mothers with high testosterone have a poorer relationship with their children. And, when fathers report low levels of intimacy with their children, high testosterone women have a poorer relationship with their children. No comparable associations were observed among fathers.
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