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The Relationship between Father-Child Rough-and-Tumble Play and Children's Working Memory

Emily Elsa Freeman1, Erin Louise Robinson1

  • 1School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Rough-and-tumble play (RTP) between fathers and children significantly boosts children's working memory. Increased frequency and quality of RTP are linked to better working memory ability and fewer problems.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Rough-and-tumble play (RTP) is associated with positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes in children.
  • Existing research highlights RTP's benefits, but its impact on executive functions like working memory is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between father-child rough-and-tumble play and children's working memory.
  • To examine how both the frequency and quality of RTP influence working memory ability and problems.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty father-child dyads participated in recorded RTP games.
  • Fathers reported the frequency of RTP with their children.
  • Working memory was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function.

Main Results:

  • Higher frequency of father-child RTP was correlated with improved working memory ability.
  • Increased RTP frequency was also associated with fewer working memory problems.
  • The quality of RTP was positively linked to higher working memory ability.

Conclusions:

  • Father-child rough-and-tumble play is crucial for developing children's working memory.
  • Both the amount and quality of RTP contribute to enhanced executive function.
  • This study underscores the vital role of fathers in supporting cognitive development through play.

Keywords:
fathersfather–child interactionsparentingrough-and-tumble playworking memory

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