The impact of delayed fatherhood on the father-child relationship

There is little empirical research on the impact of delayed fatherhood on the father-child relationship. From a large, nationally representative sample of adults in the United States, a subsample was drawn of 47 men who were both fathers of minor children and had fathered their first child after their 35th birthday. Ordinary least-squares regression analysis was used to test four hypotheses. Late-time fathers were found to (a) spend more time in leisure activities with their children, (b) have higher expectations for their children's behavior, and (c) be more nurturant toward their children, but they (d) showed no difference in controlling behavior toward their children when compared with on-time fathers. Empirical support is presented for the establishment of age 35 as the criterion for delayed fatherhood in future studies. Recommendations for future research are offered.