Paternal Involvement and Infant-Father Attachment: A Q-Set Study

Relations Between Paternal Child-Rearing and Child Inhibited Temperament Across Infancy and Toddlerhood

Child inhibited temperament is influenced by parenting behaviors, and vice versa. Fathers remain underrepresented in studies examining relations between parenting and temperament. The current study focused on fathers, using a three-point longitudinal design. Father-child dyads (n = 116; 56.9% Male; 88.7% White) participated in laboratory assessments at child ages 1, 2, and 3 years. Children participated in observational tasks designed to measure inhibited temperament, and fathers self-reported parenting behaviors and rated their child's temperament. Path models testing concurrent and longitudinal relations revealed that paternal nurturance, restrictiveness, and encouragement of independence were associated with observed inhibited temperament in infancy, but not with father-rated inhibited temperament. Early observed child inhibited temperament at age 1 year predicted greater levels of paternal encouragement of independence at age 2 years. Findings demonstrated evidence for both father-directed and child-directed effects, suggesting fathers and children influence each other's behavior over time. Overall, this study supports continued focus on fathers' parenting and provides insight into the nuanced impact of fathering on child temperament development.

Maternal positive coparenting and adolescent peer attachment: Chain intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–child attachment

This study investigated the relationship between maternal positive coparenting and adolescent peer attachment, and the intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–child attachment in 1,807 families using the maternal positive coparenting scale, the parental involvement scale, and the parent and peer attachment scale. The results showed that maternal positive coparenting behaviour, parental involvement, parent–child attachment, and peer attachment had significant positive relationships, and maternal positive coparenting had a positive correlation with adolescent peer attachment. Moreover, parental involvement and parent–child attachment played a significant mediating role between maternal positive coparenting behavior, including unity and consistent behavior, and adolescent peer attachment, respectively, which consisted of a sole intermediary role of parental involvement; a single intermediary role of parent–children attachment; and a chain intermediary role of parental involvement and parent–children attachment. Hence, maternal positive coparenting was positively associated with adolescent peer attachment, in which parental involvement and parent-child attachment served as a crucial bridge.

Paternal indifference and neglect in early life and creativity: Exploring the moderating role of TPH1 genotype and offspring gender

For further understanding the joint contribution of environment, heredity and gender to creativity, the present research examined the prospective impact of paternal indifference & neglect in early life, TPH1 rs623580, offspring gender, and the interaction effects thereof on creativity in five hundred and thirty-nine unrelated healthy Chinese undergraduate students. Paternal indifference & neglect in early life was assessed on the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and creativity on the Runco Creativity Assessment Battery (rCAB). Two primary findings emerged. Firstly, significant paternal indifference & neglect × TPH1 genotype interaction effects were identified in predicting all three dimensions of creativity (fluency, originality, and flexibility). Paternal indifference & neglect in early life negatively predicted fluency, originality, and flexibility when individuals carry A allele of TPH1 (rs623580). Secondly, there was a significant interaction effect of TPH1 genotype by offspring gender on flexibility. Only in males, individuals who carry A allele were linked with lower level of flexibility compared to TT homozygote individuals. No significant three-way interaction was found. In conclusion, the current findings provided the first preliminary evidence for the moderation effect of TPH1 on the relationship between parenting and creativity, and TPH1- offspring gender interaction on creativity; future studies are needed to validate these findings.

Father Involvement in Infant Parenting in an Ethnically Diverse Community Sample: Predicting Paternal Depressive Symptoms

Early paternal involvement in infant care is beneficial to child and maternal health, and possibly for paternal mental health. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between fathers' involvement in early infant parenting and their depressive symptoms during the infant's first year in a sample of 881 low-income Black, Hispanic, and White fathers recruited from five sites in the United States (urban, mixed urban/suburban, rural). Home interviews at 1 month after birth assessed three concepts based on prior research and community input: (1) time spent with the infant, (2) parenting self-efficacy, (3) material support for the baby. Paternal depressive symptoms at 1, 6, and 12 months after the birth of a child were assessed with the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Generalized estimating equations tested whether the three indicators of father involvement at 1 month after birth predicted lower subsequent paternal depressive symptoms controlling for social and demographic variables. For fathers, greater time spent with the infant, parenting self-efficacy, and material support were all significantly associated with lower paternal depressive symptoms during the first year. When risk of depression (scores > 9) was examined, only parenting self-efficacy among fathers was associated with higher likelihood of clinical depression. Findings have implications for future research on mechanisms linking paternal involvement and paternal mental health, and for possible paid paternal leave policies in the future.

Early father-child and mother-child attachment relationships: contributions to preschoolers' social competence

The main goal of this study was to explore the contributions of early father-child and mother-child attachment relationships to children's later social competence with their preschool peers; possible unique and shared contributions were tested. Using a multi-method design and focusing on direct observation, attachment was assessed at home at age 3 with the Attachment Behavior Q-sort (AQS) and two years later social competence was assessed at classrooms of 5-year-olds using a set of seven measurement indicators that are part of the Hierarchical Model of Social Competence. Results show that attachment to each parent made unique and significant contributions to children's social competence and suggested the possibility that each caregiver may have somewhat different patterns of influence on the different indicators of children's social competence. Findings also suggest the possibility that a secure attachment with one parent may buffer the impact of having an insecure relationship with the other. Due to sample size, these results should be seen as a starting point to generate new and larger studies.

Reflective functioning in fathers with young children born preterm and at term

The present study assessed 322 parents of 173 children aged between 12 and 20 months (74 children born preterm) with the Parent Development Interview (PDI) to capture parents' Reflective Functioning (RF). RF scores were obtained, and topics were disclosed, for which modeling with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was applied. The study addressed (a) whether RF scores differed between fathers of children born preterm and at term, and diverged from the mothers' RF and, (b) whether topics on fathers' minds differed regarding parenting preterm or at-term children, and diverged from topics on parenting raised by mothers. Results indicated that parents of at-term children revealed similar RF scores, though fathers of children born preterm scored lower than mothers of children born preterm. Whereas fathers' RF scores were associated with topics about the paternal role, interests and activities, mothers' RF was related to concerns about how to meet the child's needs.

Adoptive gay fathers' sensitivity and child attachment and behavior problems

Fathers' sensitivity and child attachment security and externalizing and internalizing problems were investigated among families headed by two adoptive gay fathers. A sample of 68 fathers and their 34 children aged 1-6 years participated in the study. Fathers completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist. Parental sensitivity and child attachment security were assessed by independent coders with Q-sort methodology during parent-child interactions at home. Results indicate that few children had low attachment security scores and behavior problems in the clinical range. Fathers' sensitivity within parenting couples appeared similarly high, as did children's attachment security. In contrast to the weak association found in past studies among heterosexual fathers, a significant moderate correlation was found between paternal sensitivity and child attachment security. Also, children with higher levels of attachment security had less externalizing problems.

Adult Self-Esteem and Family Relationships

Abstract. We conducted a literature review to examine the effects of self-esteem in the family context, selecting 40 studies exploring the associations between self-esteem, coparental relationship, parent-child relationship, and global family functioning. The research focused primarily on self-esteem and the parent-child relationship. The evidence indicates that parents with high self-esteem experience enhanced satisfaction with their children and exhibit more positive interactions with them. It was also found that parents’ high self-esteem is associated with less physical abuse and child neglect. Studies focusing on coparenting and family functioning are still rare, and more evidence is needed to establish robust conclusions.

Mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters: Are there sex differences in the organization of secure base behavior during early childhood

Recent empirical studies reporting sex differences in attachment relationships have prompted investigators to consider why and under what conditions such results might be observed. This study was designed to explore possibilities of identifying sex differences in the organization of attachment-relevant behavior during early childhood. Observations of 119 children (59 boys) with their mothers and (separately) with their fathers were completed and children were described using the AQS. Results indicated that girls and boys did not differ with respect to global attachment security but at more specific level analyses revealed differences between parents that reflected differences in the behaviors of girls vs. boys with mothers and fathers. Our findings contradict arguments from evolutionary psychologists claiming that sex differences in attachment organization arise during middle childhood. By adopting an attachment measure sensitive to the possibility of behavioral sex differences our data suggest that such differences may be detectable earlier in development. Moreover, these differences are subtle and nuanced and do not suggest large sex differences in attachment security per se.

Expérience paternelle et problèmes intériorisés de jeunes enfants en situation de précarité : le point de vue des pères

Cadre de la recherche : Dans un article précédent (Kettani et Zaouche-Gaudron, 2012a), nous avons montré que les problèmes intériorisés tels qu’évalués par les pères sont plus importants chez les jeunes enfants en situation de précarité que chez les jeunes enfants de familles plus aisées.

Objectifs : L’objectif est ici d’interroger la part de l’expérience paternelle dans l’explication du lien entre la précarité et les conduites intériorisées des jeunes enfants.

Méthodologie : L’échantillon est constitué de 187 pères d’enfants âgés de 2 à 6 ans, qui ont renseigné une série de questionnaires évaluant les conduites intériorisées de l’enfant, l’expérience paternelle (engagement paternel, stress paternel et sentiment de compétence paternelle) et la situation socio-économique (revenu familial, conditions de logement, statut d’emploi du père et perception de l’aisance financière).

Résultats : Les résultats révèlent que les enfants qui vivent en contexte de précarité présentent plus de problèmes intériorisés que les enfants de familles plus aisées. Les pères quant à eux s’engagent auprès de leurs enfants autant que les pères qui ne connaissent pas de difficultés socio-économiques. En revanche, ils éprouvent un niveau de stress plus élevé et un sentiment de compétence paternelle plus faible, qui expliqueraient une grande partie des problèmes intériorisés des enfants. Il apparaît également que la perception paternelle de la contrainte financière joue un rôle plus important dans l’explication des problèmes intériorisés des enfants que des mesures plus objectives de précarité.

Conclusion : La perception paternelle de la situation socio-économique ainsi que le vécu de la paternité évalué à travers le sentiment de compétence et le stress paternel expliquent mieux les problèmes intériorisés des enfants que la situation de précarité en elle-même.

Contribution : Dans le cadre de l’intervention, ces résultats soulignent l’importance de prendre en considération les dimensions subjectives de la précarité ainsi que les affects liés au rôle paternel, pour favoriser l’épanouissement des pères ainsi que l’ajustement socio-affectif des enfants de familles défavorisées.

Paternal involvement and child sleep

While maternal influences on young children’s sleep are increasingly documented, the study of paternal contributions to this important sphere of child functioning is only just beginning. In addition, much of this emerging research has focused on infancy only or has relied on parental reports of child sleep. The current study aimed to examine the associations between paternal involvement and child sleep during toddlerhood, a period that witnesses both increased paternal involvement in child care and marked developments in child sleep. Fathers ( N = 85) reported on their involvement when their toddlers were aged 2 years, and sleep was assessed objectively with actigraphy at age 3. Results indicated that above and beyond several key covariates, fathers who reported engaging more frequently in emotional support with their 2-year-old child, and those who reported evoking the child more often, had children who slept longer at night 1 year later. These results are among the first to suggest potential paternal influences on children’s sleep after the infancy period. They raise the possibility that interventions seeking to enhance paternal involvement may carry benefits for toddlers’ sleep and consequently, for aspects of cognition, behavior, and emotion that depend on adequate sleep regulation.

Examining antecedents of infant attachment security with mothers and fathers: An ecological systems perspective

Taking an ecological systems perspective, early parent-child relationships can be affected by interactions between systems where some are more proximally linked to the child than others. Socioeconomic status, a distal factor, is associated with social functioning during childhood, but research on its association with functioning during infancy, particularly attachment, is scant and inconsistent. Moreover, it is not clear how distal factors affect infant functioning. Other systems such as marital adjustment and parenting may moderate or mediate relations between distal factors and infant attachment. The current longitudinal study (n=135) examined the role of various systems - parental resources, marital functioning, parental sensitivity and involvement - in early infancy (3-, 5-, 7-months) on infant-mother (12-months) and infant-father (14-months) attachment security. Findings supported moderating processes but in different ways for infant-mother versus infant-father dyads. Implications for future studies and interventions are discussed.

As contribuições do papel do pai e do irmão do indivíduo com necessidades especiais na visão sistêmica da família

O presente artigo revê a literatura sobre as principais contribuições do pai e do irmão do indivíduo com necessidades especiais tendo como base a visão sistêmica da família. O objetivo é aprofundar o tema famílias de indivíduos deficientes, focalizando aqueles elementos que têm sido deixados em segundo plano nos estudos da área, pai e irmão, mostrando sua importância no desenvolvimento desses indivíduos. Assim, são discutidos aspectos da relação pai-indivíduo com necessidades especiais e irmão-indivíduo com necessidades especiais existentes na literatura, elucidando os desafios práticos e metodológicos de estudos investigando tais relações. Espera-se contribuir, nesta análise, para o aumento de interesse na referida área.