Father's influence in the development of infant's relationships

Recent research on the father infant interaction has challenged the long held belief that the "most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother". Fathers have significant influences on the development of the infant's relationships both directly and indirectly. Certainly his greatest indirect influence is through supporting, protecting, and facilitating the maternal infant dyad when it is the primary nurturing relationship. New research from a variety of perspectives in Europe and the United States have begun to document the powerful impact that fathers have on their children directly, and not just mediated through the maternal infant dyad. The Nordic family study in Europe, and clinical research by Parke, Lamb, Yogman, and Pruett in the United States have all documented the impact on the infant of increased paternal involvement in the early years, thanks to a variety of influences. Evidence now suggests that infants are able to make direct use of the father's unique contribution to their growth and development. This contribution not only increases the repertoire of available to the infant, but appears to have its own unique meaning to the infant, who often seeks it out quite directly and aggressively. Stylistic differences between paternal and maternal nurturing, appear to be of great interest and use to the child. The close contact between father and infant does not appear to threaten maternal infant attachment. Data from an ongoing longitudinal study of primary care giving fathers in the intact families will be presented. The impact of such a rare but theoretically highly interesting phenomenon on the capacity of the infant to develop useful relationships will be highlighted with clinical materials. Finally, we shall conclude with a discussion of the question in reverse, i.e., how does the infant influence the development of the father's relationships?