A Mediation Model of Father Involvement with Preschool Children in Hong Kong

Abstract

Father involvement is important in contributing to the children’s development, parents’ well-being and healthy family functioning. With reference to Belsky’s family ecological model of parenting, the present study aims to examine the relationship between ontogenic factors (fathering stress, fathering self-efficacy, fathers’ beliefs on paternal role), microsystemic factors (spousal capital that includes parenting alliance, spousal support, and marital satisfaction) and father involvement. The mediating role of ontogenic factors in the relationship between microsystemic factors and father involvement is also investigated. A cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted with 2,029 fathers of nursery children aged 2–6. Structural equation model analyses showed that spousal capital was positively associated with fathering self-efficacy, fathers’ beliefs on paternal role and father involvement, and negatively associated with fathering stress. Father involvement was also positively related to fathering self-efficacy and fathers’ beliefs on paternal role, but had no significant relationship with fathering stress. The indirect effects of spousal capital on father involvement were significant via fathering self-efficacy and fathers’ beliefs on paternal role. Findings partially supported Belsky’s family ecological model on the mediating role of ontogenic factors in the relationship between microsystemic factors and father involvement. The practical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed. Future research can include other ontogenic factors and microsystemic factors, as well as other systemic factors (e.g., exosystemic and macrosystemic factors) of father involvement in different father groups from different Western and Asian countries.