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Pleasure in parenting and father-child attachment security
Geoffrey L Brown1, Martha J Cox2
1Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
Attachment & Human Development
|March 16, 2019
Summary
Fathers' pleasure in parenting moderates the link between paternal sensitivity and child attachment security. Concordance between sensitivity and pleasure varies across secure, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Father-child attachment security is crucial for child development.
- Paternal factors like sensitivity and parenting attitudes influence attachment.
- Understanding the interplay of these factors is essential for comprehensive attachment research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between father-child attachment security, paternal sensitivity, and fathers' pleasure in parenting.
- To investigate whether fathers' pleasure in parenting moderates the association between paternal sensitivity and attachment security.
- To explore how the concordance between paternal sensitivity and pleasure in parenting differs across various attachment classifications.
Main Methods:
- Paternal sensitivity was coded from father-infant interactions at 12 months.
- Fathers' pleasure in parenting was assessed through interviews regarding their attitudes toward the parenting role.
- Father-child attachment security was evaluated using the Strange Situation Procedure.
Main Results:
- Paternal sensitivity was positively associated with fathers' pleasure in parenting.
- Neither sensitivity nor pleasure alone predicted attachment security.
- Fathers' pleasure in parenting moderated the relationship between sensitivity and attachment security.
- Concordance between sensitivity and pleasure varied significantly across attachment classifications: secure (high concordance), avoidant (high sensitivity, low pleasure), and disorganized (low sensitivity, high pleasure).
Conclusions:
- Fathers' pleasure in parenting plays a significant moderating role in the development of father-child attachment security.
- The interplay between fathers' cognitive (pleasure) and behavioral (sensitivity) aspects is vital for understanding attachment.
- Attachment research should integrate cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of parenting for a holistic view.
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