Father Reports Research Articles

Relation of Emotional and Behavioral Problems With Body Mass Index in Preschool Children

Although problem behavior in children and adolescents has frequently been associated with overweight, it is unclear whether this relationship is already present in early childhood. We hypothesized that problem behavior is positively related to body mass index (BMI) in children of preschool age and that eating behavior explains part of this relation. The study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort with data available on BMI and problem behavior for 3137 children aged 3 to 4 years. Problem behavior was measured with the child behavior checklist (CBCI), and eating behavior was assessed using the child eating behaviour questionnaire (CEBQ). Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the CBCI (expressed as z-scores). CEBQ, and BMI standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS), Bootstrapping was used to formally test mediation. Children with higher levels of emotional problems had a lower BMI-SDS after adjustment for relevant covariates (e.g., β [95% confidence interval {Cl}] for mother report of emotional problems = -0.04 [-0.07, -0.001], father report = -0.04 [-0.08, -0.001]). Behavioral problems were not associated with BMI. Emotional and behavioral problems were not associated with underweight or overweight if studied categorically. The effect estimate for the relation of emotional problems with BMI-SDS attenuated to nonsignificance after adjustment for specific eating behaviors, i.e., they were accounted for by satiety responsiveness, fussiness, and emotional undereating. In this population-based study, emotional problems in preschoolers were negatively related to BMI, and this relation was fully explained by food avoidant eating behaviors.

1845 Do Mothers and Father to Preterm Evaluate their Experience of Stress and Nurse’s Support Differently when Hospitalized in a Nicu?

BackgroundStudies show that mothers and fathers of a premature infant have high levels of stress. Studies also confirm the importance of nursing support to reduce stress of parents.AimTo explore gender...

Mothers’ and Fathers’ Ratings of Family Relationship Quality: Associations with Preadolescent and Adolescent Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in a Clinical Sample

This study examined the independent associations among three family relationship quality factors--cohesion, expressiveness, and conflict--with youth self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms in a clinical sample of anxious and depressed youth. Ratings of family relationship quality were obtained through both mother and father report. The sample included families of 147 preadolescents and adolescents (56.6 % female; 89.8 % Caucasian), 11-18 years old (M = 13.64, SD = 1.98) assigned a principal diagnosis of an anxiety or depressive disorder. When controlling for age and concurrent anxiety symptoms, regression analyses revealed that for boys, both father- and mother-rated family cohesion predicted depressive symptoms. For girls, mother-rated family expressiveness and conflict predicted depressive symptoms. Youth anxiety symptoms were not significantly associated with any family relationship variables, controlling for concurrent depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that parent-rated family relationship factors may be more related to youth depressive than anxiety symptoms in this clinical sample. In addition, family cohesion, as perceived by parents, may be more related to boys' depression, whereas expressiveness and conflict (as rated by mothers) may be more related to girls' depression. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Assessing adolescent social competence using the Social Responsiveness Scale: Should we ask both parents or will just one do?

There is a paucity of instruments designed to measure social competence of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. The Social Responsiveness Scale is one of a few that can be used. This study compared differences between mother and father reports of social competence of adolescents. Data were collected from parents of 50 adolescents with and without an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis between the ages of 12 and 17 years. The Social Responsiveness Scale demonstrated high interrater reliability between parents. These results suggest that the Social Responsiveness Scale is an efficient and valuable tool for researchers and clinicians to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's social skills deficits. Additionally, given the extremely high agreement between mothers and fathers on the ratings of their children's social competence, obtaining data from either parent is sufficient to provide an accurate reflection of social competence at home.

Ethics Commentary

Ethics Commentary

Parental agreement of reporting parent to child aggression using the Conflict Tactics Scales

ObjectivesThis study examined mothers’ and fathers’ reporting congruency using the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales. We asked if the mother's report of the father's parenting aggression was consistent with the father's self-report of parenting aggression and if the father's report of the mother's parenting aggression was consistent with the mother's self- report of those same behaviors. We assessed moderators of parental reporting congruency: severity of the aggression, interparental conflict, child temperament, and child gender. MethodsParticipants were from the Child Development Project, a longitudinal study beginning when children were in kindergarten. The analyses herein included 163 children for whom 2 parents provided data about their own and their spouse or partner's behavior toward the child. Most parents (87%) were married. Mothers and fathers independently completed the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale, both with respect to their own behavior toward the child and with respect to their partner's behavior toward the child. Mothers completed the retrospective Infant Characteristics Questionnaire to assess child temperament. Mothers and fathers completed measures of interparental conflict. ResultsBoth fathers and mothers self-reported more frequently engaging in each behavior than the other parent reported they did. Parents were more congruent on items assessing harsher parenting behavior. Furthermore, there was more agreement between parents regarding fathers’ behavior than mothers’ behavior. Analyses of interparental conflict, child difficult temperament, and child gender as moderators yielded findings suggesting that mothers’ and fathers’ reports of their own and their spouses’ harsh parenting behaviors were more concordant in couples with low levels of conflict, for children with easy temperaments, and for boys versus girls. ConclusionsPrior studies indicate only a moderate level of agreement in couples’ reports of violence between intimate partners and suggest that perpetrators tend to underreport their use of aggression. The results of this study suggest that parents may be more consistent in their reports of parent to child violence using the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales than they are when reporting intimate partner violence. The results suggest that parental reports of their spouse's parent to child aggression are reliable.

Essays on the history of Brazilian dipterology: II. notices about Brazilian Diptera (17th century)

Essays on the history of Brazilian dipterology. II. Notices about Brazilian Diptera (17th century). Notices from the Brazilian Diptera from the 17th century come mainly from two foreign invasions occurred in Brazil, the first one by the French in Maranhão and the second by the Dutch in northeastern Brazil. This paper includes reports of Fathers Claude d'Abbeville and Yves d'Evreux and from Piso and Marcgrave, the last two presenting the first illustrations of Brazilian Diptera. The paper also includes reports of Friar Laureano de la Cruz, Father João de Sotto Mayor and Maurício de Heriarte.

Paternal Child Care and Relationship Quality: A Longitudinal Analysis of Reciprocal Associations

This study explored reciprocal associations between paternal child‐care involvement and relationship quality by following British couples from the birth of a child until he or she reached school age. It extends the literature by distinguishing between paternal engagement in absolute terms and relative to the mother and by considering relationship quality reports of mothers and fathers and family breakdown. The analysis was based on the British Millennium Cohort Study, a representative survey of children born in 2000 and 2001 and their parents (N = 5,624 couples). The author applied ordinary least squares regression analysis with lagged dependent variables and event history modeling. Fathers' relative child‐care share was positively associated with mothers' relationship satisfaction, whereas fathers' absolute child‐care frequency was positively related to their own perceived relationship quality for most time periods. Fathers' relative and absolute child‐care contributions were positively associated with relationship stability over the preschool years. Greater perceived relationship quality of mothers, but not fathers, was associated with more frequent paternal engagement.

Health-related quality of life: cross-informant agreement of father, mother, and self-report for children and adolescents in outpatient psychotherapy treatment.

To study the cross-informant agreement between father, mother harm avoidance and child rating of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a psychiatric sample. Data were obtained from 127 children and adolescents (aged 6-18) commencing outpatient psychotherapy treatment, mainly for anxiety, depressive, and externalising disorders. A total of 100 mothers, 69 fathers harm avoidance and 76 children (aged 11years and older) filled out questionnaires. HRQoL was measured with the KIDSCREEN-27. Cross-informant agreement was moderate to high between parents and moderate to low between father-child and mother-child pairs. Both parents reported lower HRQoL than the children themselves. Standardised discrepancies correlated with gender, overall and internalising pathology, as well as harm avoidance to a small degree. Although there was moderate-to-high correspondence, mother and father reports were not interchangeable. When collecting a single-parent proxy rating on the child's HRQoL, researchers should be aware of the additional potential source of variance due to differing concordance of father and mother with the child's self-report especially for peer relations.

Diagnostic Efficiency of the Child and Parent Versions of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children

The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychometrics and clinical efficiency of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), which measures physical symptoms, harm avoidance, social anxiety, and separation/panic. Using a sample of 190 treatment-seeking Norwegian youth (aged 7–13 years, M age = 10.3 years, 62.1% male), the internal stability and ability to predict to disorder were examined for child, mother, and father reports on the MASC. Moderate to strong internal reliability was exhibited across all MASC subscales. Parent–child agreement was low, but mother–father agreement was high. MASC scores successfully distinguished between children with and without anxiety disorders and identified youth with separation anxiety disorder and social phobia, but less accurately generalized anxiety disorders. The MASC has favorable psychometric properties and is a useful screening instrument for identifying youth with anxiety disorders.

The link between coparenting, parenting, and adolescent life satisfaction

The present study examined the association between coparenting (the parental collaboration in childrearing), parenting (childrearing behavior of the individual parent), and adolescent life satisfaction. Using structural equation modeling we tested the hypothesis that dimensions of parenting (warmth/involvement and supervision/strictness) would partly mediate the link between dimensions of coparenting (conflict and cooperation) and adolescent life satisfaction. Participants were 476 adolescents (M = 13.05 years, SD = 0.95; 55.7% girls), their mothers (M = 41.76 years, SD = 4.11), and fathers (M = 44.37 years, SD = 5.85). Both parents filled in scales regarding their coparenting behavior as well as their individual parenting; adolescents reported their global life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling showed a direct and indirect association (via maternal warmth/involvement) between coparenting-conflict (father report) and adolescent satisfaction with life. However, coparenting-cooperation as well as p...

The structure and stability of temperament from infancy to toddlerhood: A one-year prospective study

This study investigated the factor structure and longitudinal stability of temperament in a multi-informant (i.e., as reported by mothers and fathers), one-year prospective study from infancy (8–13 months) to toddlerhood (20–25 months). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) replicate and extend earlier studies; in that evidence was found for a three-factor structure for both infant and toddler temperament, consisting of Surgency/Extraversion, Negative Affectivity and Effortful Control. There were, especially in toddlerhood, few differences between mother and father reports in average scores on the three temperament factors, which were in part related to differences in parental involvement between mothers and fathers. In addition, there were few differences between average scores for boys and girls on these temperament factors, with the exception that both mothers and fathers rated girls higher on Effortful Control, and fathers rated boys higher on Extraversion/Surgency, especially in toddlerhood. Finally, results showed that the three factors showed high relative, absolute, and structural stability over a one-year period. The implications of these findings for contemporary temperament research are discussed.

O0.2 Child traumatic stress reactions in the acute aftermath of a pediatric burn event: preliminary findings on agreement between child, mother, and father report

O0.2 Child traumatic stress reactions in the acute aftermath of a pediatric burn event: preliminary findings on agreement between child, mother, and father report

The role of child temperament in parental child feeding practices and attitudes using a sibling design

Although previous research indicates that parental child feeding practices are one component of a bidirectional relationship between children and parents, little is known about how child temperament operates in this relationship. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between child temperament and parental feeding practices and attitudes using a sibling design. By collecting data regarding pairs of siblings, we were able to investigate sibling differences and differential parental treatment. We examined mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of their two children's temperaments as well as reports of the feeding practices and attitudes they use with each child. Fifty-five mothers and fathers completed questionnaires including the Carey Temperament Scales and the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ). Results from correlation analyses showed that 6 of the 9 father reports of temperament between two siblings were positively related, whereas 1 of the 9 mother reports were positively related. Mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of temperament were positively correlated for a single child. Some patterns were found between parental reports of sibling temperament and child feeding practices and attitudes, suggesting that temperament plays a role in how parents feed their children.

Mothers report more child-rearing disagreements following early brain injury than do fathers.

To investigate differences between mother's and father's perceptions of marital relationship quality, child rearing disagreements, and family functioning over the initial 18 months following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early childhood relative to an orthopedic-injury comparison group. Participants included 147 parent-dyads of children with TBI (n = 53) and orthopedic injuries (OI; n = 94) who were between the ages of 3 and 7 years at injury. Family functioning, marital quality, and child-rearing disagreements were assessed shortly after injury and at 6, 12, and 18-month follow-ups, with ratings at the initial assessment completed to reflect preinjury functioning. Mixed model analyses were used to examine mother and father's reports of family functioning, marital quality, and child-rearing disagreements over time as a function of injury severity and parent gender. We found a significant Group x Gender interaction for ratings of love and parenting disagreements. As hypothesized, mothers of children with severe TBI rated the relationship as significantly less loving than did their partners, and mothers of children with both moderate and severe TBI endorsed more parenting disagreements than did their partners. However, fathers reported higher levels of family dysfunction than their partners, regardless of injury type or severity. Implications for treatment based on differences in mothers' and fathers' perceptions of family and marital functioning, and future directions for research, are discussed.

“Different Is Nice, but It Sure Isn't Easy”: Differentiating the Spectrum of Autism from the Spectrum of Normalcy

Brian is a 15-year-old boy who has been just changed to your practice because of a change in insurance plans. When taking the social history, his parents note that he has "the hardest time relating to other kids." Sometimes he will be in the middle of a conversation with a friend and then discuss tangential topics. His father reports that Brian "...has always been an easy target. He has always been sort of bigger than other kids, but being bigger than other kids, he has a hard time standing up for himself." He seems to expect to be picked on in any new social situation. When Brian likes something, he really goes after it with a passion; for example, he is very interested in knowing all about the dynasties in China. His interests are dinosaurs and anime. He is described as "An all-or-nothing type kid" when it comes to his interests. If his father tries to explain to Brian why he would like something done in a particular way, Brian will explode, and at times, he has even tried to shove his father. He does not really have any friends. His mother finds it hard knowing that Brian cannot make friends because he "is the sweetest kid you will ever meet." Brian sometimes thinks he needs to master things right away. He is not very good at abstract thinking, and "he can't think outside of the box." Eye contact has always been something that has been difficult for Brian as well. He can sit in front of the TV watching a show and repeat the entire series word for word. His parents initially had concerns about Brian, when he was 3 or 4 years old. After a specialty evaluation, he was diagnosed with sensory integration disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. He is currently starting the 10th grade this year. Brian was born at 9 months, weighing 7 pounds 10 ounces. There were no complications. He was treated with stimulants for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in the past, and he is currently on a long-acting amphetamine with equivocal efficacy. The parents are primarily here to refill his medication, but you wonder about their understanding about Brian's condition and where to head next during this visit.

Infant Brain Development and Vulnerability to Later Internalizing Difficulties: The Generation R Study

Although clinical studies have demonstrated smaller subcortical volumes in structures such as the amygdala, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and thalamus in adults and adolescents with depressive disorders and anxiety, no study has assessed such structures in babies, long before the development of the disorders. This study examined whether the size of the "gangliothalamic ovoid" (encompassing the basal ganglia and thalamus) assessed during infancy is associated with increased internalizing problems in early childhood. Cranial ultrasounds were used to assess gangliothalamic ovoid diameter and ventricular volume at 6 weeks of postnatal age; moreover, head circumference was measured. Outcome data included ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems using the Child Behavior Checklist (reported by mothers and fathers) at 18 and/or 36 months. Analyses were based on a total of 651 children. Smaller gangliothalamic diameter was associated with higher Child Behavior Checklist Internalizing scores at ages 18 and 36 months. Results remained significant after correcting for head circumference and were evident for the DSM-oriented subscales of anxiety problems and affective problems. Total ventricular volume was not consistently associated with Internalizing scores. Findings associating infant brain measurements with Child Behavior Checklist mother and father reports at two time points are consistent with previous cross-sectional reports of smaller subcortical volumes in depression. Results were not simply reflective of overall brain development, because the pattern held after adjustment for head circumference. This is the first study to point toward a biological vulnerability evident in infancy, involved in the development of internalizing problems in childhood.

Use of Spanking for 3-Year-Old Children and Associated Intimate Partner Aggression or Violence

The objective of this study was to examine associations between maternal and paternal use of corporal punishment (CP) for 3-year-old children and intimate partner aggression or violence (IPAV) in a population-based sample. The study sample (N=1997) was derived from wave 3 of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Mother and father reports regarding their use of CP and their IPAV victimization were analyzed. IPAV included coercion and nonphysical and physical aggression. Approximately 65% of the children were spanked at least once in the previous month by 1 or both parents. Of couples who reported any family aggression (87%), 54% reported that both CP and IPAV occurred. The most prevalent patterns of co-occurrence involved both parents as aggressors either toward each other (ie, bilateral IPAV) or toward the child. The presence of bilateral IPAV essentially doubled the odds that 1 or both parents would use CP, even after controlling for potential confounders such as parenting stress, depression, and alcohol or other drug use. Of the 5 patterns of co-occurring family aggression assessed, the "single aggressor" model, in which only 1 parent aggressed in the family, received the least amount of empirical support. Despite American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations against the use of CP, CP use remains common in the United States. CP prevention efforts should carefully consider assumptions made about patterns of co-occurring aggression in families, given that adult victims of IPAV, including even minor, nonphysical aggression between parents, have increased odds of using CP with their children.

Discrepancies between adolescent, mother, and father reports of adolescent internalizing symptom levels and their association with parent symptoms

Discrepancies among informants on measures of internalizing symptoms in children and adolescents are common in the literature. One reason proposed for such discrepancies is that psychopathology may distort or bias third-party reports. In the present study, measures of adolescent internalizing symptom levels were completed by adolescents aged 13 to 18 years and their mothers and fathers. Parents also completed measures of their own depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Parent symptoms explained a small amount of variance in discrepancies between informants. Specifically, mothers' depression and stress symptoms were associated with discrepancies regarding sons' symptomatology and fathers' anxiety and stress symptoms were associated with discrepancies regarding daughters' symptomatology. Implications of informant discrepancies for both clinical practice and research are discussed.

The Darkest Continent

Psychoanalysis has paid much attention to anal sex and its interpretation, mostly pejoratively, while ignoring the pleasurable aspects of anal sex. There are numerous reports of fathers of gay men imagining their sons involved in anal sex, sometimes with disgust or horror, although the taboo is fading over time. Botticelli's (this issue) case is reconsidered from the perspective of both drive and object relations, which are not incompatible. Some enactments can result from the analyst's counterresistance to awareness of unacceptable feelings or reactions to the patient with consequent delay or avoidance of certain lines of inquiry.