Paternal representations and contemporary parenthood themes through a clay figure-sculpting task among fathers of toddlers

Abstract

The present study explored paternal representations as they arose in fathers through a task of sculpting father and child figures in clay. Eleven first-time Israeli fathers of normally developing children aged two to three years old were asked to sculpt in clay a representation of themselves with their child, and were then interviewed about their experience and their clay sculpture. Based on qualitative analysis of process and products of the clay task and verbal interviews, the following themes were crystallized: fathers’ encouraging independence versus protecting, movement and playfulness in the father’s experience, using abstraction and metaphor to represent the father-child relationship, and “Leave well enough alone”: being satisfied with imperfections in fatherhood experiences. These paternal representations and themes are discussed through the lens of attachment and psychoanalytic theories. Therapeutic implications are also discussed.