Father Involvement in Education Predicates the Mental Health Status of Chinese Primary School Students

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that quality and the quantity of father involvement in education play an important rolein children’s development. The influence of father involvement in education on Chinese children's mental healthstatus still needs further study. To understand the present situation of father involvement in education and its impacton children's mental health, this study will concentrate on the impact of father involvement on the mental healthstatus of primary school students, This study surveyed 1669 primary school students in Yancheng, China. It waspointed out that 45.1% of fathers were not active in children's education, and 25.8% of fathers have not beensufficient time to accompany their children. Children's sex and grade were not associated with father involvement ineducation, which was linked to their father's occupation and education level. Father involvement dramaticallyaffected primary school students' sensitive tendency and impulsive tendency. Father involvement can make childrenmore optimistic and less focus on trifles and suspicious. More father involvement in education leads to better mentalhealth status. These results suggest the importance of increasing father involvement in education in promoting mentalhealth status in primary school students.