Expanding Our Focus From Father Involvement to Father–Child Relationship Quality

Abstract

Most of the many existing ways to conceive and measure paternal relationships incorporate ways to gauge father involvement. Although father involvement is a well‐established, important component of studying fathering relationships, it offers a circumscribed understanding of key characteristics of father–child relationships and their quality. Synthesizing theoretical and empirical literature across broader indicators of father–child relationship quality (FCRQ) affords fuller consideration of developmental trajectories of father–child relationships and outcomes for both fathers and their children. A theoretical focus on FCRQ affords enhanced understanding of the meaning and processes of father–child relationships. Implications are discussed for conceptualization, operationalization, and practical steps to enhance future FCRQ scholarship.