Fathers Of Children Research Articles

Fathers as Key Figures Shaping the Foundations of Early Childhood Development: An Exploratory Longitudinal Study on Web-Based Intervention

Background/Objectives: Early childhood development is profoundly influenced by parent–child interactions, with recent research emphasizing the crucial role fathers play alongside mothers. Paternal involvement, especially in caregiving activities like feeding, positively impacts children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development. However, paternal depressive symptoms can hinder the quality of these interactions, potentially leading to long-term behavioral and emotional difficulties in children. Despite this, interventions to enhance caregiving quality that target fathers remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based video feedback intervention in improving father–child feeding interactions and reducing psychopathological symptoms in both fathers and their 12- to 24-month-old children. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted with 244 fathers and their young children. Participants were assessed at two time points (T1 and T2) four weeks apart. Fathers engaged in remote one-hour intervention sessions twice a week, based on the Video Intervention Therapy (VIT) approach. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) assessed the fathers’ psychopathological symptoms, while the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1½–5) evaluated the children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Father–child feeding interactions were video-recorded and analyzed using the Scala di Valutazione delle Interazioni Alimentari (SVIA). Results: Post-intervention analyses showed significant improvements in father–child feeding interactions, with reductions in maladaptive behaviors and interactive conflicts. Fathers exhibited significant decreases in psychopathological symptoms, particularly in depression, anxiety, and obsessive–compulsive tendencies. Children demonstrated significant reductions in internalizing and externalizing problems. Conclusions: The web-based video feedback intervention effectively enhanced the quality of father–child feeding interactions and reduced psychopathological symptoms in both fathers and children. These findings highlight the importance of supporting fathers in their caregiving roles to promote positive developmental outcomes during critical early childhood periods. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects of such interventions and their applicability across diverse populations.

Parental expectations and perceptions of augmentative and alternative communication: A Sri Lankan perspective.

Everybody has a right to communicate in any way they can, which includes augmentative and alternative communication. The uptake of augmentative and alternative communication in everyday life may be influenced by awareness, perceptions and acceptance of augmentative and alternative communication by caregivers, family members and the wider society. This study aimed to uncover what parents thought about augmentative and alternative communication in a Global South context. Eleven mothers and five fathers (16 participants) of children with complex communication needs were included. Data were collected using an interview guide from a focus-group discussion and semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using Framework Analysis and from a gender and critical disability theory viewpoint. The key theme found was fear of augmentative and alternative communication stopping the child from learning to speak. The parents wondered if siblings might also use the alternative communication method and stop talking. They worried whether the communication device will negatively highlight their child in society. As parents' views on augmentative and alternative communication influence whether they use it with their child, informing and preparing parents before introducing augmentative and alternative communication to a child and on-going parent training should be considered.

An Example of Gender Construction of Children From Different Socio‐Economic Levels Through the Phenomenon of Parenting

ABSTRACTThis study examined the transmission of gender within the family through perceptions of parenting in low‐ and middle‐income families. Phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Participants were determined by criterion sampling method. Data were collected from 60 participants, including 20 families (mother–father–child) representing low (10 families) and middle (10 families) socio‐economic levels. The study reveals that there is a need for social intervention in both socio‐economic contexts. The findings of the study showed that the gendered interactions of parents living in both socio‐economic contexts within the family had effects on children's perceptions and experiences. In the study, parents in both socio‐economic contexts characterized motherhood as sacrifice, caregiving, and fertility and fatherhood as authority, power, income, and security provider. Children, on the other hand, defined motherhood as providing care, fertility, and being responsible for household chores and fatherhood as providing income, meeting needs, and having a profession. A striking result of the study is that although both parents were employed, children preferred to use expressions related to the fathers' professional life while defining parenthood.

Who are the fathers? Profiling fathers of children born to teenage mothers in South Africa using the Recorded Live Births 2016–2020

Abstract Aim Despite the huge investment in reducing cases of teenage pregnancy in South Africa, the incidence remains high. Interventions are targeted at girls with minimal consideration for the men who father children with teenagers. Our study aimed to profile the men who have children born to teenage mothers. Subject and methods We used South Africa’s Recorded Live Births 1998–2021 dataset containing cumulative live birth registrations recorded by Statistics South Africa. The birth notifications are received from the Department of Home Affairs. Our sample consisted of N = 97,161 registered births for mothers 19 years and younger for births which occurred between 2016 and 2020 with father information available. Results Majority of men who fathered children with teenage girls were between the ages of 20 and 29 years (89.70%); teenage girls are having children fathered by older men, with an average six-year age gap. For every unit increase of mothers’ age, so too the odds of having children with an older father—our findings show 36% reduced odds (adjusted odds ratio 0.54) for a 12-year-old mother having a child with a non-peer father and double the odds (adjusted odds ratio 1.84) for an 18-year-old mother having a child with an older father. The odds of teenage girls having children with older men increased annually and were saturated in rural provinces and district municipalities in South Africa. Conclusion Our study provided a geographic and age profile of men who father children with teenage girls in the country which should be used as a starting point for programmes directed at men to augment interventions to make an accelerated dent in teenage pregnancy cases in the country.

Parental Representations and Emotional Availability: The Case of Children with Autism and Severe Behavior Problems.

Studies suggest that parents' emotional availability (EA) is associated with children's wellbeing, including in the case of children with autism. Our study extended prior research by examining the role of parents' representations in fostering parental EA and by focusing on fathers and on children with autism and severe behavior problems. We expected that parents' positive representations would be associated with higher EA and compared mothers' and fathers' representations and EA. Participants were 79 mothers and 69 fathers (child age range = 61-173months, 21.95% girls). Representation assessments included the Reaction to Diagnosis Questionnaire, tapping resolution with respect to the child's diagnosis, and the coherence and positive comments in parents' Five Minute Speech Samples about the child. Parents' EA was coded from parent-child play interactions. Controlling for children's autism symptoms and adaptive functioning, mothers' resolution with respect to the child's diagnosis and positive comments (but not coherence) were associated with their EA, and fathers' coherence (but not positive comments and resolution) was associated with their EA. Mothers expressed more positive comments than fathers, and the resolution and EA scores of mothers and fathers were significantly correlated. Our results highlight the importance of considering both parents' representations and EA when studying and working with families of children with autism and severe behavior problems.

Correlation of Parental and Child Dental Plaque Levels: A Clinical Study

Objective: This clinical study aimed to explore the correlation between dental plaque levels in parents and their children. Specifically, the study examined differences in plaque correlation between mother–child and father–child pairs and evaluated the role of parental education in influencing children’s oral hygiene practices. Materials and Methods: A total of 196 subjects were recruited, comprising 49 mother–child and 49 father–child pairs, with children aged 6 to 15 years. Dental plaque was assessed using the O’Leary Plaque Control Record, applying a liquid plaque discloser and explorer. The plaque index was calculated as the percentage of dental surfaces with visible plaque relative to the total surfaces examined. Results: The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between the parental plaque index (IP_PARENTS) and the children’s plaque index (IP_CHILD) (p < 0.001), indicating a strong relationship. While the father’s plaque index (ID_PARENTS(FATHER)) showed a marginally positive effect on IP_CHILD (p = 0.0589), the interaction between father identification and IP_PARENTS had a significant negative impact (p = 0.0344), suggesting that paternal influence on children’s plaque levels may vary. The model accounted for 28% of the variability in IP_CHILD (pseudo R2 = 0.2758). Conclusions: The analysis demonstrated a significant association between parental and child plaque levels, with minor differences observed between maternal and paternal influence. No significant effects were found for the age or gender of the children. Overall, increased plaque levels in parents were associated with higher plaque levels in their children, with slight variations depending on the parent’s role.

Behavioral and neural evidence for difficulty recognizing masked emotional faces.

Facial emotion recognition is vital for human social behavior. During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks were widely adopted for viral mitigation and remain crucial public health tools. However, questions persist about their impact on emotion recognition and neural processing, especially in children, parents, and young adults. We developed the Masked Affective and Social Cognition task, featuring masked and unmasked faces displaying fear, sadness, and anger. We recruited three racial and ethnically diverse samples: 119 college students, 30 children who entered school age at the beginning of the pandemic, and 31 fathers of the aforementioned children. Of the latter two groups, 41 participants (n = 23 fathers, 18 children) did the Masked Affective and Social Cognition task during a neuroimaging scan, while the remaining 20 participants (n = 8 fathers, 12 children) who were not eligible for scanning completed the task during their lab visit. Behaviorally, we found that participants recognized emotions less accurately when viewing masked faces and also found an interaction of emotion by condition, such that accuracy was particularly compromised by sad masked faces. Neurally, masked faces elicited greater activation in the posterior cingulate, insula, and fusiform gyrus. Anterior insula and inferior frontal gyrus activation were driven by sad, masked faces. These results were consistent across age groups. Among fathers, activation to sad masked faces was associated with stress and depression. Overall, our findings did not depend on previous mask exposure or timing of participation during the pandemic. These results have implications for understanding face emotion recognition, empathy, and socioemotional neurodevelopment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parenting Stress of Challenged and Non-Challenged Children: A Comparative Perspective

This study examines parenting stress among parents of challenged and non-challenged children, focusing on dimensions i.e. financial, social, family, and emotional stress. Conducted in Hooghly; Paschim Medinipur; and Kolkata, West Bengal, India, the study involved 200 parents (100 of challenged children and 100 of non-challenged children) across diverse occupations using a survey-based cross-sectional design through conveniently. Findings reveal significant gender and occupational differences in stress levels. Fathers of non-challenged children report higher financial stress, while mothers of challenged children experience greater social stress. Occupational factors influence stress differently across groups; for instance, service professionals report higher family stress among parents of non-challenged children, while farmers of challenged children report the least social stress. Age-related analyses suggest that while financial stress decreases with parenting age in non-challenged groups, emotional and overall stress increase in parents of challenged children as they age. This comparison underscores the specific stressors unique to each parenting context, offering insights into potential areas for support and intervention. The study contributes to understanding how child developmental status, gender, occupation, and age intersect to shape parental stress, thereby informing tailored approaches for alleviating stress and promoting family well-being in varied caregiving contexts.

How do fathers' educational level contribute to children's school problems? Overparenting and children's gender and surgency in a moderated mediation model.

This study aims to investigate (a) the mediating role of overparenting between father's educational level and children's school problems, and (b) the joint moderating role of children's gender and surgency in the indirect relationship between father's educational level and school problems. Participants were 203 school children, 96 boys (47.3%) and 107 girls (52.7%), aged 7-8 years (M = 92.42 months, SD = 3.52). Fathers reported their educational level, age and employment status and their children's gender and number of siblings, as well as their overparenting behaviors by Anticipatory Problem Solving (APS) scale. Teachers informed children's school problems by the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC T-2). Parents together informed their children's surgency levels by a subscale of Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ). Results showed that, in girls, the father's educational level was negatively related to the child's school problems via overparenting behaviors, controlling the number of siblings and father's age and employment status. However, among boys, fathers' overparenting protect their shy sons from the risk of a low educational level for school problems. These findings highlight the relevance of considering the gender and surgency to a better understanding of the effects of contextual factors on children's outcomes.

The brick kiln child workers of Pakistan.

Pakistani law recognises that no young person under the age of 18 years can enter into a valid and binding contract. In hazardous industries, such as brick kilns, none of the children working in them have any formal contract, so limiting any rights they may have. Any contract that does exist is with the child's father and will be linked to everlasting debts and constitutes a form of bondage. This paper reviews the adverse medical effects on children of such employment.

Stressful family life events and father involvement in Korean children's sociobehavioral health.

We examined the longitudinal associations between stressful family life events at 4 years of age and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors at 7 years of age, whether family functioning and parental warmth (i.e., mothers' warmth, fathers' warmth) mediated those associations, and whether the associations varied by fathers' involvement in Korean families. Participants were 1,703 families, including mothers (Mage = 34 years; SD = 3.70 years), fathers (Mage = 37 years; SD = 3.97 years), and children (Mage = 51 months; SD = 1.22 months) from the Panel Study on Korean Children. Results revealed that stressful family life events were positively associated with children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors but not via family functioning and parental warmth. Family functioning and mothers' warmth successively mediated the association between father involvement and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Father involvement moderated the association between stressful family life events and children's externalizing behaviors. The findings highlight that father involvement may play a protective role in children's externalizing behaviors when Korean families experience stressful situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Survey Data to Estimate Intergenerational Mobility in Income and Education in Portugal

AbstractPrevious studies about intergenerational mobility for the Portuguese economy find that education and income persistence is very high in comparison with other developed economies. We construct relative, absolute, global and local measures of mobility for Portugal, comparing them with existing evidence for this and other countries. These are the intergenerational income elasticity (computed using the two-sample two-stage least squares method), income correlation, rank-rank slope, bottom to top income level probability, the share of individuals earning more than their fathers and also the intergenerational education correlation, the low to high education level probability, and the share of individuals with a higher education level than their fathers. We consider the 1968–1988 cohorts and the 1995 and 2019 waves of the European Community Household Panel and the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, respectively. Overall, based on the point estimates, women seem to present more mobility in income. Upward income mobility is verified at the bottom while persistence exists at the top. Women present a greater absolute educational mobility. More than 80% of individuals have a higher education than their fathers and full upward education mobility exists for children of low-educated fathers. Mobility in education is higher for the offspring of medium–high-income fathers. Individuals with a high education level, in the medium–high income level or with occupations requiring a higher education level show higher mobility.

Father–Child Relationship Quality and Social Functioning Among Children at Risk for Child Maltreatment

AbstractDespite the considerable growth and advancement in fatherhood research, relatively little is known about the effects of father–child relationship quality on social functioning among children who experience child maltreatment. Applying the strengths-based perspective, the current study sought to examine the association between father–child relationship quality and social functioning (social competence and positive peer relationships) among at-risk children, and to determine whether these associations are moderated by perpetrator type. This study included a sample of 681 US children (age 12 years) drawn from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect. We conducted a series of ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses. Higher-quality father–child relationships were associated with higher levels of social competence (B = 0.19, SE = 0.06, p = .002) and positive peer relationships (B = 0.05, SE = 0.02, p = .005). Significant interaction effects were found. The positive association between father–child relationships and peer relationships was significantly stronger among children with a history of maltreatment perpetrated by fathers with or without mothers (B = 0.16, SE = 0.05, p = .002). Findings highlight the importance of positive father–child relationships in building social resilience among children who experience maltreatment. Practitioners working with youth who are at risk for maltreatment should consider engaging fathers in services to support the development of strong father–child relationships.

The reasons for and influences of unintended teenage pregnancy in Kericho county, Kenya: a qualitative study.

Unintended teenage pregnancies are associated with greater health and socio-economic risks for teenage mothers and newborns. In Kenya, the government has declared a target for ending teenage pregnancy by 2030. However, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy has only decreased slightly, demonstrating the need for further efforts. Understanding teenage mothers' own experiences and perspectives is necessary to design appropriate interventions. A community-based qualitative study was conducted from March to May 2023. Two focus group discussions were conducted with community health volunteers and the mothers of teenage girls. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the case histories of 19 teenage mothers and 18 key informants. Thematic analysis was subsequently performed using MAXQDA 2022. Four major reasons emerged for unintended teenage pregnancies: (1) lack of knowledge or awareness about the human reproductive system, (2) lack of knowledge about family planning (FP), (3) financial challenges, and (4) low access to FP. At the study site, cultural norms and stereotypes, such as "infertility caused by FP," "freedom of sex by promoting FP," and "cultural taboos on having sex before marriage and talking about sexuality," were observed as barriers in promoting FP to teenagers. In addition, teenagers from low socio-economic backgrounds were found to be more vulnerable because they can be easily exploited by men who can afford to provide for some of their basic needs. Regarding the influences of unintended teenage pregnancy on teenage mothers' lives, the 19 cases were classified into four categories: (1) dropping out of school, (2) financial challenges, (3) changing relationships with parents, and (4) no major influence. Crucially, unintended teenage pregnancies negatively influenced most study participants. Continuing education, supportive parental attitudes, positive perceptions of the relationship with the child's father, and having future perspectives were identified as factors mitigating the negative influences. Strengthening culturally appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and the school re-entry policy with a supportive environment may prevent unintended teenage pregnancy and mitigate its negative influences. As financial challenges can be both a reason for and a negative influence of unintended teenage pregnancy, economic empowerment interventions are necessary.

Factors associated with caregiver strain among mothers and fathers of children with advanced cancer.

To characterize caregiver experiences in the context of advanced pediatric cancer by identifying individual (i.e., demographic factors, stress) and family context factors (i.e., family roles, social support) associated with caregiver strain. Families of children (ages 5-25) with advanced cancer (i.e., physician-estimated prognosis < 60%, relapsed/refractory disease) were recruited from a large children's hospital. Mothers (n = 55; 87% White) and fathers (n = 30; 83% White) reported on their caregiver strain, cancer-specific stress, general stress, social support, division of 7 family roles (e.g., medical care of ill child, household chores), and their satisfaction with each role. Parents reported moderate caregiver strain, cancer-specific stress, and general stress, and high social support and satisfaction with family roles. Fathers reported family roles were shared equally, whereas mothers reported either sharing roles or completing them independently. When accounting for income and partnership status, greater caregiver strain for mothers was associated with greater general stress, greater satisfaction with family roles, and lower social support. For fathers, greater caregiver strain was associated only with greater cancer-specific stress. In the context of advanced pediatric cancer, fathers may experience caregiver strain as cancer-specific stress increases, whereas mothers' strain may depend on broader family and social factors. Psychosocial providers should address general and cancer-specific stress within families, and provide resources for enhancing mothers' social support. Additional research is needed with larger, more diverse samples to inform future intervention approaches.

Behavioral and Sexual problems in Children with Mild Intellectual Disability: An Observational Study

Abstract Background The cognitive and adaptive functioning deficits are the intellectual disability (ID) hallmark. Children with Intellectual Disability (ID) often display distinct behavioral and sexual problems. Objective To investigate behavioral and sexual problems in children with mild ID (IQ score 50-70) as compared to an age-and sex-matched control group. Patients and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 children (100 with mild ID (IQ score 50-70) and 100 controls) aged 6-12 years at Ain Shams University's Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic. Sociodemographic data were collected using an Arabic-validated Socioeconomic Status Scale. Intellectual ability was assessed with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and Adaptive behaviors were measured using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS). Behavioral competency and problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Sexual behaviors were evaluated using the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI). Results A higher percentage of children with ID (54%) had working mothers compared to controls (40%, p = 0.047). Fathers of children with ID exhibited higher education levels (p = 0.020). CSBI scores were markedly higher in children with ID (all p-values &amp;lt; 0.001) and CBCL scores were also markedly higher in children with ID (all p-values &amp;lt;0.001). Similarly more ID children were in clinical range for internalizing (p-value &amp;lt;0.001) and externalizing problems (p-value &amp;lt;0.001) of CBCL broadband syndrome. Conclusion Children with mild ID display significant differences in behavioral and sexual problems compared to their controls Identified risk factors offer insight into potential interventions and underline the need for tailored education and support for this demographic.

The complexity of opportunities to respond used by mothers and fathers of children with Down syndrome: A preliminary investigation.

Caregiver-child interactions are commonly used to examine children's language learning environment. However, few studies consider interaction configurations beyond dyadic interactions or explore the conceptual complexity of caregiver talk. Thus, we examined if the complexity of a caregiver's opportunities to respond (OTR) varied when sampled across three interaction configurations. Our study included twelve preschool-aged children with Down syndrome and both of their biological parents. Our preliminary findings suggest no differences in mothers' and fathers' frequency of OTRs across complexity levels during dyadic interactions. However, caregivers produced fewer OTRs across complexity levels during family choice than dyadic interactions.

Longitudinal pathways between parent depression and child mental health in families of autistic children

Abstract Autistic children and their parents are at risk for mental health problems, but the processes driving these connections are unknown. Leveraging three data cycles (spaced M = 11.76 months, SD = 2.77) on 162 families with autistic children (aged 6–13 years), the associations between parent–child relationship quality (warmth and criticism), child mental health problems, and parent depression symptoms were examined. A complete longitudinal mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling. Father depression mediated the link between child mental health problems and father critical comments (β = −0.017, p = 0.018; CI [−.023 – −.015]). Father report of child mental health problems mediated the association between father depression and father critical comments (β = 0.016, p = 0.040; CI [0.003–0.023]) as well as the association between father positive remarks and father depression (β = −0.009, p = 0.032; CI [−0.010 – −0.009]). Additionally, father positive remarks mediated the connection between father depression and child mental health problems (β = 0.022, p = 0.006; CI [0.019–0.034]). No mediation effects were present for mothers. Findings highlight that the mental health of parents and autistic children are intertwined. Interventions that improve the parent–child relationship may reduce the reciprocal toll of parent and child mental health problems.

Fathers' transformative caring experiences of engaging in music and singing with their children

AbstractThis study explores the role of music and singing in fostering transformative caring relationships between fathers and their children. It aims to understand how these interactions contribute to fatherhood identity and relational dynamics, filling a significant gap in research on musical fatherhood. Employing a phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach, the study conducted open‐ended interviews with eight fathers, analysing data through the lens of Paul Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. Findings reveal that musical activities enable fathers to engage intuitively and responsively with their children, facilitating a pre‐verbal form of communication that deepens emotional bonds and enhances paternal identity. Music and singing emerge as powerful tools that transcend traditional parenting roles, allowing fathers to experience and express a potentiated sense of fatherhood marked by empathy, connection and care. This study highlights the profound impact of musical engagement on father–child relationships and suggests broader implications for emotional intelligence and gender roles in parenting.

Fatherless dan Konsep Diri pada Remaja Di Kota Makassar yang Berasal dari Keluarga Tidak Utuh

Teenagers with incomplete families tend to have difficulty building good social relationships. This condition is caused by a divided family, resulting in the absence of the father's role and children tending to have a negative self-concept. This research aims to determine the relationship between fatherlessness and self-concept among teenagers in Makassar City who come from incomplete families. The method used in this research is a quantitative survey method with the number of research respondents being 300 teenagers from incomplete families in Makassar City. This research uses measuring instruments in the form of a fatherless scale with a Cronbach alpha reliability value of 0.980 and a self-concept scale with a Cronbach alpha reliability value of 0.864. The data analysis used was the non-parametric Spearman's rho statistic with the help of JASP v0.16.2.0 for Windows. The results of data analysis produced a value of r= -0.550 and p&gt;0.001. These results show that there is a very significant negative relationship between fatherlessness and self-concept in adolescents who come from incomplete families. The higher the fatherlessness, the lower or negative the adolescent's self-concept. It is hoped that the research results will become a source of information for teenagers and parents to increase the presence of the father's role so that teenagers' self-concept becomes more positive and avoid negative self-concept caused by the absence of the father's role. The results of this study have implications for the importance of institutions related to marriage preparation and strengthening the role of the family to provide socialization materials on the role of fathers and mothers to prospective couples and young families.