Fathers Of Children Research Articles

The Role of Child's Age, Sex, and Temperament in Father Involvement during the Pre-School Years.

(1) Background: The aim of the study was to explore how child’s characteristics (age, sex, and temperament) were associated with father’s involvement in child-related activities. In a sample of 410 bi-parental families with pre-school age children. (2) Methods: Dividing the sample into two age groups, OLS regression models were conducted for each dimension of father involvement with child characteristics as predicting variables. (3) Results: for the younger children (3 and 4 years) fathers were more involved in teaching/discipline and played with their more extroverted daughters. With older children (5 and 6 years), fathers were more involved in teaching/discipline and played when children were higher on negative-affectivity. An interaction was found with boys’ higher negative-affectivity, predicting fathers’ higher involvement in teaching and discipline. (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest that children’s characteristics have an impact on what fathers do, particularly in a dimension salient to pre-school years such as teaching/discipline. This can help build tailored empirical-sustained programs aiming to encourage and support fathers’ positive involvement.

The meaning of fatherhood to men in relationships with female sex workers in Kampala, Uganda: The struggle to model the traditional parameters of fatherhood and masculinity.

Many women who engage in sex work in sub-Saharan Africa become pregnant, often unintentionally. There is limited attention paid to the experiences of fathers of children born to women engaged in sex work. We examine the meaning of fatherhood to these men, the significance of children, and how they navigate the economic and cultural challenges of fatherhood in this context. Analysis is based on ethnographic data from 13 men who identified as intimate long-term partners of female sex workers (FSW) in Kampala City, Uganda. Our findings illustrate how men who have children with FSW struggled to model the traditional parameters of fatherhood and masculinity. We found that men who had children with FSW faced hurdles fitting within the social construction of ideal fatherhood. Accepting fatherhood often started with doubts over the pregnancy because of the multiple partnerships of women. Men who only saw themselves as clients struggled to adjust to being fathers because of their perceptions of the social implications of fathering a child with a FSW. Integration of mothers who were also sex workers into the man’s extended family was a challenge because of the fear of negative reactions from family members. However, when men accepted their roles as fathers, they started seeing value in their children. Due to poverty, most of the men fell short of the societal measures of masculinity, but children transformed their social status before their society and family. The provider role often used to define good fathering was a challenge for men. However, the financial support from FSW partners softened the burden and facilitated the creation of a family environment constructed to the perceived standards of the broader society. Our findings provide insights into the state of parenting among FSW and their partners which can guide interventions that are tailored to their unique circumstances.

The safety of paternal and maternal use of 5-aminosalicylic acid during conception and pregnancy: a nationwide cohort study.

Data on the safety of paternal use of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) prior to conception are lacking, and the safety of maternal use of 5-ASA during pregnancy has not been examined in nationwide data. To examine offspring outcomes after paternal pre-conception use of 5-ASA, and after maternal use during pregnancy METHODS: This nationwide cohort study was based on Danish health registries. The study population included live born singletons of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD). Paternal exposure included 2168 children fathered by men treated with 5-ASA, and 7732 unexposed. Maternal exposure included 3618 children exposed in utero to 5-ASA, and 7128 unexposed. The outcomes were pre-term birth, small for gestational age (SGA), low Apgar score and major congenital abnormalities (CAs) according to EUROCAT guidelines. The vast majority of fathers and mothers used mesalazine. In children fathered by men with UC using 5-ASA, we found no increased risk of pre-term birth, SGA or low Apgar score. The hazard ratio (HR) of CAs was 1.30 (95% CI 0.92-1.85). In children of fathers with CD, the odds ratio (OR) of SGA was 1.52 (95% CI 0.65-3.55). After maternal 5-ASA exposure, the OR of SGA in children of women with UC was 1.46 (95% CI: 0.93-2.30); for CAs in children of women with CD, HR was 1.44 (95% CI 0.84-2.47). Paternal and maternal use of 5-ASA was safe across offspring outcomes; none of the findings reached statistical significance. The safety of 5-ASA formulations that are used infrequently cannot be settled here.

Assessment of the Emotional State of Parents of Children Starting the Vojta Therapy in the Context of the Physical Activity-A Pilot Study.

The aim of the study was to assess the emotional state of parents at the moment of starting therapy for their children using the Vojta method in the context of the physical activity undertaken by the parents. The study involved 68 parents (37 mothers and 31 fathers) of children with central coordination disorders (CCD) presenting for consultation and therapy using the Vojta method. The authors’ questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and the Inventory to Measure Coping Strategies with Stress (Mini-COPE) were used. As many as 84% of mothers and 77% of fathers presented high level of perceived stress. Comparative analysis showed a statistically significant difference in anxiety and life satisfaction between the groups of mothers and fathers studied. Taking declared physical activity into account, there was a statistically significant difference in stress and anxiety in the mothers’ group and a statistically significant difference in mood and life satisfaction in the fathers’ group. Promoting physical activity among parents of children with CCD can be helpful in maintaining better psycho-physical conditions and can also be a good tool in combating stress in difficult situations, such as the illness and therapy of a child.

Attachment and prosocial behavior in middle childhood: The role of emotion regulation

There is a lack of research on the development of prosocial behavior in middle childhood. The current study addressed this gap through the application of attachment theory; attachment security has been shown to promote prosocial behavior in early childhood, and emotion regulation may be an important intervening variable in this association. A sample of 199 children (aged 6–12 years) reported on their attachment internal working models for the mother–child and father–child relationships, parents reported on child emotion regulation and emotional lability/dysregulation, and children completed a sticker donation task to assess their prosocial behavior. Child emotional lability/dysregulation served as an intervening variable in the association between father–child attachment security (communication and trust) and greater sticker donation. Mother–child and father–child attachment security was also associated with child emotion regulation, but emotion regulation was not associated with sticker donation. Findings suggest that secure attachment may foster prosocial behavior toward peers in middle childhood primarily by reducing dysregulated responses to the distress of others.

Mother–Child Versus Father–Child Conflict and Emerging Adults’ Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Trust in Parents and Maladaptive Emotion Regulation

Mother–Child Versus Father–Child Conflict and Emerging Adults’ Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Trust in Parents and Maladaptive Emotion Regulation

Testosterone deficiency and metabolic disturbances in men who fathered a child by use of donated spermatozoa

Dose–response association between level of impairment of semen quality and risk of morbidity or premature death has been reported. Therefore, it can be presumed that men utilizing donated spermatozoa, i.e. patients with non-obstructive azoospermia, are at highest risk for adverse health outcomes. To evaluate the risks of prescription of medications for common metabolic disturbances and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) among men who father children with donated spermatozoa—who presumably do it due to severe impairment of fertility. We used Swedish nationwide register data on all fathers who had a live-born child between 2007 and 2014 in order to compare men who fathered children with donated spermatozoa to the ones who became fathers by using own gametes. Cox regression analysis was used in order to estimate the post-conception incidence of prescription of medicines for hypertension (HT), diabetes (type 1 and 2), dyslipidaemia (DLE) or TRT. Starting the follow up at time of conception, models were adjusted for age, educational level, and previous cancer treatment. In total 410,119 childbirths were included in the analysis. Among them, for 390 fathers donated spermatozoa were utilized. Fathers to children conceived with donated spermatozoa had higher risk for having TRT prescribed (HR: 18.14; 95%CI: 11.71–28.10; p ≪ 0.001). Same was true for DLE (HR: 2.08; 95%CI: 1.27–3.39; p = 0.003) but not diabetes. Fathers to children conceived by use of donated spermatozoa are at significantly increased risk for testosterone treatment and dyslipidaemia, necessitating stringent follow up and inclusion in prevention programs.

Mothers and fathers of pre-school children: a study on parenting stress and child’s emotional-behavioral difficulties

The present study aimed to analyze the differences between maternal and paternal parenting stress and children’s behavioral functioning, as determined by teacher and parent reports. In addition, it sought to evaluate the presence of clusters based on parenting stress and to determine whether perceptions of children’s behavioral functioning varied across these clusters. The sample was composed of the parents and teachers of N = 201 children. Parents completed a self-report questionnaire on parenting stress and parents and teachers filled out report-form questionnaires assessing children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. The results showed that mothers had higher levels of parenting stress than fathers, and both parents reported more prosocial behavior in children than did teachers. Furthermore, middle stressed parents had children who expressed more prosocial behavior than did parents in other clusters. The findings also showed that parenting stress influenced partners’ perceptions of children’s behavioral functioning. The multiplicity of child observers facilitated a better understanding of how parenting stress, linked to parent–child interactions, may play an important role in shaping parents’ perceptions of their children.

Family-Work Conflict and Spousal Aggression: A Comparative Analysis Pre- and Peri- COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT The main goal of the study was to examine the contribution of the family–work conflict to explaining spousal aggression from a comparative perspective: pre-COVID days versus the peri-COVID-19 pandemic period. The dimensions of aggression included spousal undermining and violent tactics for spousal conflict management as reflected in physical and verbal-emotional violence tactics. The family–work conflict construct included two factors: family interferes with work conflict and work interferes with family conflict. The sample was comprised of 747 Israeli Jewish mothers and fathers of children in early and middle childhood (384 in pre-pandemic days and 363 in the peri-pandemic period). Data were collected via an online link and were analyzed using path analysis. The intensity of work interferes with family conflict, the level of spousal undermining and the use of physical violence tactics were higher during the peri-pandemic period than in pre-pandemic days. The general measure of family work conflict was related to spousal undermining in both periods. Spousal undermining mediates the relation between family–work conflict and violent spousal conflict management tactics in both periods. A highly intensive family–work conflict experience in routine times and in times of crisis, such as a pandemic, may comprise a warning sign that may lead to expressions of spousal aggression In light of the findings, practical recommendations are proposed for reducing spousal aggression stemming from processes in the work–family interface.

Adult children in complex families: How do relationships affect relationships?

AbstractObjectiveWe examined how adult (step)parent–child closeness is associated to the quality of other ties in the family network (i.e., parent–child dyads, parent–parent dyads).BackgroundAlthough stepfamily scholars often assume that there are associations between all dyads within a family unit, more research needs to examine this premise empirically.MethodWe used survey data on adult children and their relationships with mothers, fathers, stepfathers, and stepmothers (N = 1,022). Two methods—non‐recursive structural equation modeling (SEM), and cross‐lagged SEM—were applied to consider the bidirectionality between ties.ResultsThose who are close to their biological parent are often also close to the new partner/stepparent, which is interpreted as a household effect. Moreover, the tie between the divorced parents is strongly associated to father–child closeness but less to mother–child closeness. We also found that mother–stepmother closeness and stepmother–child closeness are correlated, as are father–stepfather closeness and stepfather–child closeness. Our findings suggested weak substitution between father–child and stepfather–child closeness (a small but significant negative association). Gender differences are visible, as ties between biological mothers and adult children seemed more independent of the family system than other parent–child ties.ConclusionsShifts in one (step)family dyad seem to create a spillover effect, also affecting other family dyads.ImplicationsFor family practitioners or counselors, it is more efficient to consider the embeddedness of parent–child closeness within the family system than to focus on one constituent member or dyad of the system.

The Impact on Parents of Diagnosing PCD in Young Children.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an incurable, rare, inherited, chronic condition. Treatment includes the regular clearing of airway mucus, aggressive treatment of infections and management of hearing loss. Caregiver burden has not been explored, hence we interviewed 18 mothers and 6 fathers of children under 6 years to understand the impact of diagnostic testing and implications of a positive diagnosis. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed and five key themes were identified. These included the parents’ experiences following child’s diagnosis, impact of child’s treatment regimen on parent, impact of child’s health status on parent, parent’s coping strategies, and parental concerns for the future. Parents described their diagnostic journey, with the findings revealing how a lack of awareness among clinicians of the PCD symptom pattern can lead to a delayed diagnosis. Parents discussed the emotional and practical impact of a PCD diagnosis and the coping strategies employed to deal with challenges arising following a diagnosis. Parents use a variety of different lifestyle changes to accommodate their child’s treatment regimen and to cope with disruptive life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides valuable insights into parental adjustment and adaptation to a PCD diagnosis and management regimen. Going forward, this research highlights the need for integrated social care for PCD patients and their families.

Parental psychological distress and child maladjustment: Exploring the moderating role of sibling relationship quality

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the quality of the sibling relationship moderates the association between parental psychological distress and child maladjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems). We extended previous literature by studying mothers and fathers separately and by including an observational measure of the quality of the sibling relationship. Participants were 52 two-parent families from a community sample who had at least two children living at home. Only one child (aged 6–10 years) was targeted for the study and studied in relation to his/her siblings. Mothers and fathers completed a self-reported questionnaire on their psychological distress and individually assessed their child’s social-emotional maladjustment. The targeted child’s interactions with his/her siblings were observed by independent judges during a home-visit. Results indicate that both maternal and paternal psychological distress are significant predictors of child social-emotional maladjustment. Moderation analyses reveal that children of distressed fathers are at lower risk of social-emotional maladjustment when they engage in highly positive interactions with their siblings. Post hoc analyses suggest that only sibling empathy (not teaching nor companionship) is a significant moderator of the association between paternal psychological distress and child maladjustment. The results of this study provide further evidence of the influence that fathers have in their child’s development and highlight the importance of using a systemic family approach to promote children’s social-emotional adaptation in the context of parental distress.

The impact of postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms on child development and the mediating role of the parent-child relationship: A prospective longitudinal study.

BackgroundThe first 2 years of life are a particularly sensitive period for the parent–child relationship as well as a healthy, age-appropriate child development. Both have been shown to be linked to postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms, while the role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, which are also common, is still largely understudied. In addition, fathers have been neglected in this area of research. This study, which includes both mothers and fathers, aims to investigate the longitudinal associations between postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms and different domains of child development, as well as the mediating role of the parent–child relationship.MethodsData were drawn from the prospective longitudinal study DREAM, with 674 mothers and 442 fathers from the general population completing self-report questionnaires at four measurement points. Longitudinal associations between parental postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms 8 weeks postpartum, the parent–child relationship 14 months postpartum, and child development 24 months postpartum were investigated using regression and mediation analyses. A number of potential confounding variables were considered, i.e., age, academic degree, postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms of the parents, preterm birth and temperament of the child, as well as COVID-19 pandemic-driven adversities.ResultsWhen adjusting for confounders, neither maternal nor paternal postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms had adverse effects on the respective parent–child relationship and child development. Further, no mediating role of the parent–child relationship between parental postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms and child development could be confirmed. Instead, we found that the mother– and father–child relationship were differentially related to specific child developmental domains. For mothers, a poorer mother–child relationship was prospectively related to poorer fine motor development. For fathers, a poorer father–child relationship prospectively predicted a poorer overall development as well as poorer gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social development.ConclusionOur results suggest that negative effects on the parent–child relationship and child development may only become apparent in full-blown postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder. Given the differential impact on specific developmental domains, our findings also suggest that it is crucial to consider both parents in clinical practice as well as in future research, rather than focusing only on the mother–child dyad.

Family Cohesion and Positive Sibling Relationships in Families Raising a Child with or without a Disability

ABSTRACT Scant research exists regarding how family cohesion is related to relationships among siblings with and without disabilities. The purpose of this study, based upon the Double ABCX Model of Adaptation, was to investigate cohesion and sibling relationships in families raising typically developing siblings (TDC) and families raising children with some type of disability. Mothers and fathers of 221 sibling pairs completed demographic, family cohesion, and sibling relationships questionnaires. Paired t-tests, correlations, and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. Mothers reported higher levels of family cohesion than fathers. Comparing families raising TDC with families raising a child with some type of disability, parents of TDC reported higher cohesion than parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); fathers of TDC reported higher cohesion than fathers of children with Down syndrome (DS). However, parents of TDC reported less positive sibling relationships than parents of DS. Higher levels of cohesion correlated with more positive sibling relationships. It was concluded that relationships exist between family cohesion and sibling relationships, and these perceptions differ between families raising children with or without disabilities. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Extrapyramidal syndrome in a breastfed child, relevance of toxicological analysis

The passage of drugs in breast milk may be responsible for toxicity in breastfed children. We report here a case of passage of metoclopramide, an antiemetic neuroleptic, in breast milk, causing an extrapyramidal syndrome in the child, revealed in blood and hair. Case: a 21-week-old child was brought by his parents to the pediatric neurology department for consultation following two episodes of unexplained extrapyramidal syndrome. The little G., fed by mixed breastfeeding, presented a first episode of unexplained acute dystonia (generalized hypertonia with legs in extension and arms flexed against the chest, ceiling gaze, opisthonos) and two weeks later, a new episode of acute extrapyramidal syndrome, which resolved in a few hours. Both events required emergency hospitalization. During the second episode, diazepam 0.5 mg/kg IV was initiated, unsuccessfully. The anamnesis revealed that the mother had taken a rectal suppository of metoclopramide (10 mg) 48 hours before the first episode. An MRI was performed on arrival at the emergency room. Blood toxicology analysis was performed two days after the first episode. A 3-cm strand of brown hair was collected one month after the second episode. The entire sample (13 mg) was analyzed without segmentation. It should also be noted that the father had retractile capsulitis, treated with codeine paracetamol, and that the child had received paracetamol for teething. The child had no further episodes of dystonia since the second event. The MRI was normal. The child's blood toxicology analysis revealed the presence of metoclopramide at a concentration of 8 ng/mL. Hair analysis revealed metoclopramide at a relatively high concentration (1058 pg/mg), as well as paracetamol (31 ng/mg), lidocaine (34 pg/mg), diazepam (3 pg/mg) and its metabolite nordazepam (5 pg/mg), and codeine (16 pg/mg) in the analyzed hair of child G. The presence of diazepam and its metabolite can be explained by medical care. The low concentration of codeine without its metabolite morphine, may suggest an external contamination by the environment, contact with people who had consumed this molecule (bedding, caressing, etc.), especially the child's father. The presence of metoclopramide in the blood and hair is compatible with a passage of breast milk to the child. According to the literature, less than 5% of the maternal dose is found in the child. Adverse effects such as intestinal disorders, drowsiness, agitation, hypertonia have already been described in breastfed children (EMA. Metoclopramide Assessment report, 2013). This case illustrates the passage into breast milk of rectally administered metoclopramide in the mother and the toxic effects of this molecule in the child. The interpretation of hair analysis in infants remains nevertheless delicate to discriminate consumption from environmental contamination.

Elevated exposures to persistent endocrine disrupting compounds impact the sperm methylome in regions associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as the organochlorines have been linked with various diseases including neurodevelopmental disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is considered strongly genetic in origin due to its high heritability. However, the rapidly rising prevalence of ASD suggests that environmental factors may also influence risk for ASD. In the present study, whole genome bisulfite sequencing was used to identify genome-wide differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in a total of 52 sperm samples from a cohort of men from the Faroe Islands (Denmark) who were equally divided into high and low exposure groups based on their serum levels of the long-lived organochlorine 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), a primary breakdown product of the now banned insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Aside from being considered a genetic isolate, inhabitants of the Faroe Islands have a native diet that potentially exposes them to a wide range of seafood neurotoxicants in the form of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The DMRs were mapped to the human genome using Bismark, a 3-letter aligner used for methyl-seq analyses. Gene ontology, functional, and pathway analyses of the DMR-associated genes showed significant enrichment for genes involved in neurological functions and neurodevelopmental processes frequently impacted by ASD. Notably, these genes also significantly overlap with autism risk genes as well as those previously identified in sperm from fathers of children with ASD in comparison to that of fathers of neurotypical children. These results collectively suggest a possible mechanism involving altered methylation of a significant number of neurologically relevant ASD risk genes for introducing epigenetic changes associated with environmental exposures into the sperm methylome. Such changes may provide the potential for transgenerational inheritance of ASD as well as other disorders.

Understanding Father–Child Joint Play Experience Using a Convergent Mixed-Methods Design

Research on the characteristics of father-child play is limited, and how fathers perceive this experience and its contribution to children's development and the parent-child relationship is insufficiently described. To explore associations between fathers' own playfulness, their supportiveness of child playfulness, and child playfulness and fathers' perceptions of their joint play experiences. Convergent mixed-methods design. Family homes. The participants were 57 father-child dyads who resided in a metropolitan area. Children were ages 2 to 5 yr. Interviews with 11 fathers (ages 25-56 yr) were included in the qualitative analysis. Fathers completed a background questionnaire and the Short Measure of Adult Playfulness (SMAP) and participated in a semistructured interview. Fifteen minutes of video-recorded joint play were scored using the Parent/Caregiver Support of Children's Playfulness (PCSCP) and the Test of Playfulness (ToP). Fathers' own playfulness as measured with the SMAP was not related to their child's playfulness as measured with the ToP; however, their supportive behavior as measured with the PCSCP was associated with their child's playfulness. Fathers recognized the benefits of joint play for their child's development. The current findings help fill the gap in research linking fathers' own playfulness and supportiveness during joint play and their child's playfulness with fathers' perceptions of this experience. What This Article Adds: Understanding fathers' perceptions and behaviors can further enhance service delivery to children and families through interprofessional work to benefit parent-child relationships as well as child development.

Resilience, coping, and posttraumatic growth in fathers of children with intellectual disabilities: Stress as moderator

AbstractObjectiveWe sought to examine the correlation between resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in fathers of children with intellectual disabilities (ID), exploring the mediating effect of coping. We also tested whether this mediation effect is moderated by sense of stress.BackgroundRaising a child with ID has been associated with both negative and positive aspects of psychological functioning. Little is known, however, about determinants of positive changes in fathers.MethodThe data for this study come from 106 Polish fathers of children with ID who completed a set of questionnaires measuring PTG, resilience, coping strategies, and sense of stress. The relations between variables using moderated mediation were tested.ResultsPTG correlates positively with resilience. Coping strategies (i.e., seeking emotional support and religion) are mediators of this relationship, and sense of stress is a moderator of this mediation. Higher levels of sense of stress increase the mediating role of these coping strategies, which translates into higher PTG in fathers with higher resilience.ConclusionThe relationship between resilience and PTG is complex, mediated by coping strategies, and differs in fathers with high and low stress.ImplicationsKnowledge on the importance of resilience and coping strategies for experiencing positive changes may be used by professionals working with fathers raising children with ID.

An explanatory model of parental sensitivity in the mother-father-infant triad.

Quality of early family interactions has been associated with child development, bonding, and mental health. Childhood adversity, stress, and depression impact parenting, affecting the quality of the interaction within the mother-father-child triad. The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of parents' adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms, and parental stress, on their sensitive response toward their tooddler and quality of traidic interactions. A correlational cross-sectional method was used. The sample included 80 mother-father-child triads, of toddlers with social-emotional difficulties. Parents early adverse experiences, parental stress, and depressive symptoms were assessed through self-report measures. Observational measures on parental sensitivity and triadic interaction were used. For mothers and fathers, adverse childhood experiences were associated with depressive symptoms in adulthood. Sensitivity toward their child and stress were positively associated among both parents. Symptoms of depression in mothers were associated with lower sensitivity toward their child, but in fathers, their sensitive response was influenced by the level of parental stress in the mother. In both parents, greater sensitivity in the dyadic interaction with the child was associated with a higher quality of the triadic interactions, in the triad as a whole, and in the regulation and involvement of the child.

Differences in perceived parental practices across attachment styles in adult children of alcoholic fathers

BackgroundAlcoholism is a growing problem in Pakistan. Problems related to alcoholism affects the family members especially children of alcoholics who are likely to have biased perceptions of parental practices which in turn affects their attachment patterns. ObjectiveTo analyze the differences in perceptions of parental practices across three attachment styles namely avoidant, anxious/ambivalent, and secure attachments of the adults who are children of alcoholic parents. MethodThe study is a correlational research design with a sample of 330 participants selected through purposive sampling technique. The participants were adults who are children of alcoholics from nuclear family systems, whose fathers were admitted in a rehabilitation center for the treatment of alcoholism for the second time. ResultsMANOVA computed to examine differences in perception of parental practices across attachment styles was significant [F(12, 632) = 53.130, p < .001, Pillai's Trace = 1.003, partial eta squared = .501], indicating that those with different attachment styles perceive parental overprotectiveness, emotional warmth, and rejection differently. ConclusionPerceptions about parental practices for father can be linked with alcoholism, while for mother the perceptions about parental practices are a product of attachment mainly. ImplicationsThe findings can be used to devise counseling and therapeutic plans for adults who are children of alcoholics and help in educating them about the condition of alcoholism.