Behavior Of Fathers Research Articles

Paternal Behavior and Offspring Aggression

Aggression can have a critical impact on the functioning of societies. Some aspects of aggression have received considerable attention, such as links between parenting behavior and offspring aggression in humans. Although acknowledged as being important to the understanding of human aggression, animal aggression has been relatively unstudied. Recent mammalian animal research is emerging that addresses issues relevant to the study of parenting and aggression. This has been accomplished primarily by focusing on nontraditional mammalian model systems. We integrate human and nonhuman animal studies to (a) further elucidate the potential impact that the behaviors of fathers have on offspring aggression, (b) study the influence of paternal behavior on the behavior of offspring and transfer of aggression across generations, and (c) explore neural and physiological underpinnings for variation in paternal behavior and aggression.

Forgotten Founder: The Life and Times of Charles Pinckney (review)

Forgotten Founder: The Life and Times of Charles Pinckney. By Marty D. Matthews. (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2004. Pp. 224. Cloth, $29.95.)With this biography of South Carolina politician and planter Charles Pinckney (1757-1824), Marty Matthews seeks to place Pinckney within the cohort of esteemed American founders. Parts of Pinckney's career justify this ambition, and Pinckney rightly merits more scholarly and public attention than he typically receives. Pinckney's career public life ran from the Confederation Congress through the Missouri Crisis. Along the way he fought with the South Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War, represented his state at the Constitutional Convention, presided over South Carolina's ratification process, played a central role revising the state's constitution, served several terms as governor, was the U.S. minister to Spain, and finished his career the U.S. House of Representatives.But several matters undercut Matthews's efforts. First, few sources remain, and those that do are heavily weighted to Pinckney's public statements. Even Pinckney's personal thoughts regarding his political career remain largely unknowable. Readers glimpse only enough of Pinckney's private life to intrigue but not enough to satisfy. Little is revealed-little apparently can be revealed-of Pinckney's famous relatives, his marriage to the daughter of Henry Laurens, the family he made with her, and his kin ties to other prominent low-country elites. Matthews includes a chapter on Pinckney's childhood and youth, but the dearth of relevant sources leads the author to make extensive (sometimes questionable) speculations. He imagines, for instance, that the Stamp Act Crisis must have made a strong impression on the nine-year-old boy (8). He depicts Pinckney as a young soldier heading home to Charlestown after a searing military defeat in a state of near shock (17). Plausible, but not provable. When at his best, Matthews rises to the challenge of his evidentiary limitations and crafts a broader-based narrative of revolutionary and early national America than he might have done had Pinckney been a more prolific writer or a more attentive guardian of his papers. Matthews often offers intriguing and expansive descriptions of political intrigues and social values. In other instances, he overreaches his efforts to fill voids the historical record. On several occasions, for example, Matthews speculates that Pinckney's grasping, self-interested personality derived from a deep-seated shame over his father's behavior during the Revolutionary War. Although initially a patriot, the elder Pinckney capitulated to British pressure during the occupation of Charlestown, effect renouncing the American cause. Once patriot victory was achieved, Pinckney's father paid-with a stiff fine and with his reputation-for what many perceived as cowardice and disloyalty. Although no evidence exists to indicate how the son felt about his father's actions, Matthews makes this controversy central to Pinckney's character and the basis for occasionally excusing egotistical behavior.Matthews faces an uphill battle his attempt to rehabilitate Pinckney's reputation, for the Carolinian's character was questionable at best. Pinckney squandered his estate through extravagance and inattention and then blamed his troubles on a cousin. Numerous creditors sued him for unpaid debts, and he was publicly disgraced for his malfeasance. A near-shameless self-promoter an age that prized disinterestedness, Pinckney actively sought out governmental appointments from George Washington (who repeatedly rebuffed the Carolinian), Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison (who disliked and distrusted him). …

Ultrasonic observations of fetal movement patterns and individuality in low-risk pregnant women

Introduction: Real-time visual exploration of fetal activity began in the 1960's, when ultrasound techniques first appeared. Its use allowed great progress in the studies of the dynamics motor and neurological development, both in normal and pathological conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to carry out regular ultrasound exams in healthy fetuses, with propose in evaluating the fetus motor development, registered in video cassette recordings; verify the presence or absence of fetal motor and behavioral individuality; describe and discuss the parents behavior during the exams. Method: Six fetuses from desired spontaneous low-risk pregnancies were selected for the study. These fetuses were observed regularly each four weeks, for one hour, from the 12 t h week of pregnancy up to birth. Based in the characterization established by Prechtl (1989), the following features were registered: presence or absence of different patterns of movement, in individual fetal, and parents, behavior during the exams. The study comprised only fetuses which originated normal neuropsychomotor and behavioral development children, having these children been followed up until the age of 8 years-old. Results: All pregnancies came to term without major problems. The pre-natal follow up accomplished, as well as the clinical and ultrasonographic development of the fetuses, were regarded as normal. The analysis in movement groups by period has shown that some movement patterns were more often observed in the beginning of pregnancy, such as shocks, generalized movements and trunk movements. Certain types of movement remained at a stable frequency, while others had their frequency increased. Somersault and creep movements were only observed between the 16 t h and 28 t h weeks. Transversal analysis of the different kinds of movement showed that movements occurred with greater frequency by the 20 t h week of pregnancy, followed by progressive decrease until birth. Complex movements were seldom observed in the beginning of pregnancy, increasing from the 20 t h week on (breathing, suckling and swallowing). These common characteristics suggest a general pattern of motor development with individual variations. Conclusion: (A) There is a determined motor pattern with occurrence and subsequent disappearance of the several types of movements according to the pregnancy moment; (B) the fetal motor behavior presents variations, suggesting individuality; and (C) Father behavior has shown different from mother behavior (check with Theo). Men were usually silent and showed greater concern with the fetus' and wife's well-being, while women recognized and identified characteristics of their future child. All the children presented normal motor and neurological development, being assessed until eight years of age.

A pilot study of smoking and associated behaviors of low‐income expectant fathers

Pregnancy is considered a teachable moment for helping women who smoke to quit, yet few studies have examined smoking behavior of expectant fathers. The present study considers the possibility that pregnancy is a teachable moment for expectant fathers as well and describes smoking and associated behaviors of men during their partner's pregnancy. Participants were 138 low-income men living with their pregnant partners. Using telephone interviews, we found 63% of the men had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Current smoking was reported by 49.3% of expectant fathers (39.1% daily smoking; 10.2% some days). Expectant fathers' current smoking was associated with having a lower level of education (p<.0001), pregnant partner being a current smoker (p=.0002), higher quantity of alcohol consumption per day of drinking (p=.0003), and absence of smoking prohibitions inside the home (p<.0001). In the past year, 70.1% of the current smokers tried to quit. We found high rates of smoking in low-income expectant fathers, and an expectant father's smoking during his partner's pregnancy was associated with his pregnant partner continuing to smoke. A majority of expectant fathers identified as current smokers tried to quit in the past year or indicated an intention to quit in the near future. Intervention during pregnancy that targets pregnant women and expectant fathers who smoke could lead to more households without tobacco use and thus have positive implications for paternal, maternal, and family health. Further clinical and research attention is needed to address the smoking behaviors of both expectant fathers and their pregnant partners.

Sobre o pai da criança atendida na escola e sua função

O pai da função paterna (conceitualizada por Jacques Lacan) não é o mesmo ao qual educadores fazem apelo quando se queixam das condutas dos pais, de suas ausências ou atuações. No entanto, o fato de haver queixas quanto aos pais não deixa de apontar uma intuição da importância do pai na educação da criança.O texto visa verificar a relação dessa intuição, suas balizas históricas, com as contribuições da clínica psicanalítica, para articulá-la com a época atual e examiná-la à luz da função paterna determinada como conceito, conseqüência do complexo de Édipo em Freud. Por essa razão, esperamos poder contribuir na intersecção de duas áreas de atuação: a clínica e a escola, o que se justifica também pela nossa própria experiência com as questões lançadas.

Self‐concept and perception of early mother and father behavior in normal and antisocial adolescents

This study examines the self-concept and perceptions of early parental behavior in a group of 277 normal adolescents with respect to differences in age (12-18 years) and gender. A group of 30 antisocial adolescents of similar age (13-19 years) were included as a comparison group. The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire study and the Swedish translation of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) introject and mother/father questionnaires were used as measures of self- and parental concepts. Multivariate analyses of variance show that the normal adolescent self-concept and perception of early parental behavior are positive and that there are no age or gender differences. The early behavior of the mother is perceived more positively than that of the father. A positive self-concept is related to a positive perception of the parent's early behavior. The antisocial group of adolescents shows a more autonomous and negative self-concept and more negative perception of early parental behaviors. This was true especially in the group of antisocial girls. The conclusion from the study is that there is no evidence of a chaotic self-concept or tumultuous changes in the perceptions of early parental behavior during normal adolescence, but that an antisocial way of life might be reflected in a more negative and autonomous self-concept and in more negative perceptions of early parental behavior during adolescence.

Psychiatric disorders among offspring of depressed mothers: associations with paternal psychopathology.

The association between maternal depression and offspring dysfunction is well documented; however, little attention has been paid to psychopathology in the partners of these depressed mothers or to how paternal psychopathology might influence the relationship between maternal depression and offspring dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to explore whether major depression and/or antisocial behavior tended to occur more frequently among partners of depressed mothers (compared to partners of nondepressed mothers) and to examine how these paternal disorders related to offspring psychopathology. Participants were drawn from the Minnesota Twin Family Study, a community-based study of twins and their parents. Depressed and nondepressed mothers, their partners (the biological fathers of the twins), and their 17-year-old offspring were included. Structured interviews were used to assess participants for the presence of major depression, conduct disorder, and adult antisocial behavior. Depressed mothers tended to partner with antisocial fathers. Depression in mothers and antisocial behavior in fathers were both significantly and independently associated with offspring depression and conduct disorder. No interactions of the parental diagnoses with each other or with the gender of the offspring were found. Many offspring of depressed mothers experience the additional risk of having an antisocial father. The implications of these findings for risk among the offspring of depressed mothers are discussed.

Low-Income Fathers

This article reviews recent literature on low-income fathers, including the transition to fatherhood for young unmarried fathers and levels of father involvement among married, cohabiting, and nonresident low-income fathers. I discuss predictors of father involvement as well as available evidence concerning their effects on children's well-being. Although mounting qualitative evidence argues that unmarried low-income men may be more favorably disposed to fatherhood than previously recognized and that such intentions may greatly influence subsequent fathering behavior, studies of fertility intention remain largely separate from those of father involvement. I propose that subsequent research should also pay greater attention to the effects of fatherhood on low-income men.

Coping with "absence-presence": Noncustodial fathers' parenting behaviors.

This article is based on the view that the nature of the divorced father's involvement with his children is affected by psychological processes that enable him to separate his parental from his spousal role and identity. It argues that the ability to cope with the simultaneous absence of the spousal role and identity and presence of the paternal role and identity is a key factor in shaping the divorced father's behavior toward his children. The article illustrates the claim in 3 case studies showing (a) parental functioning marred by ongoing conflict with the children's mother, (b) disengagement, and (c) stable and consistent parental functioning within the inevitable limitations of noncustodial fatherhood.

Rearing Behavior and Rearing Stress of Fathers with Children of Preschool and School Age

This study was conducted to compare the paternal rearing behavior and rearing stress level between fathers with a preschooler and fathers with school children so that it can be utilized as a basic source for developing parental rearing education programs. A descriptive comparative method was conducted to identify the paternal rearing behavior and paternal rearing stress. Respondents were 361 fathers who had either preschoolers (n=189) or children of elementary age (n=172). Comparing the two group's means, the rearing activity score and rearing stress there were significant differences. In the school children's group's father, 'outdoor activity' and 'guidance on discipline activity' were significantly higher than the other group. In the preschool children's fathers group, 'play interaction activity' was statistically significant higher than the other, and the child-part mean score of paternal rearing stress was significantly higher than the other group. The correlation between paternal rearing behavior and paternal rearing stress, indicates that more paternal rearing behavior means less paternal rearing stress. These results of this study will help design more effective rearing programs for fathers that have either preschool children or school children by providing the basic data for paternal rearing behaviors and paternal rearing stress.

Association of adverse childhood experiences, age of menarche, and adult reproductive behavior: does the androgen receptor gene play a role?

Previous research has reported associations between adverse childhood experiences, early menarche, and early sexual activity. One hypothesis to account for these findings is that an X-linked androgen receptor GGC-repeat polymorphism predisposes fathers to behaviors which include family abandonment and their daughters to earlier menarche and sexual activity and less stable relationships. Retrospective data relevant to this theory were examined from a community survey involving 3,702 women in the age groups 20-24, 40-44, and 60-64 years, and another involving 908 women aged 18-79 years. Earlier age of menarche was found to be associated with adverse childhood experiences and earlier sexual activity. However, the androgen receptor gene polymorphism was unrelated to adverse fathering behavior or to marital breakdown.

THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND BEHAVIOR OF BETEL QUID CHEWING AND CESSATION AMONG TAIWANESE TEENAGE

Objectives: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the prevalence of betel nut chewing and the association between the environmental factors and KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practice) of betel nut chewing and cessation. Methods 12,000 of five military training bases were invited to join the study. A questionnaire was used to collect the 1) environmental factors: parents' situation, siblings' situation, colleagues or classmates situation, working history, family factors. 2) demographic data: age, smoking and alcohol, marital status and religious. Multiple linear regressions and multiple logistic regressions were used to assess the association of interests. Result 10,111 questionnaires were completed. The responds rate was 84.3%. The prevalence of betel quid chewing was 9.37%. After controlling the confounders, working history, smoking, alcohol, education, family, behavior of (father, siblings, friends, and colleagues or classmates, neighbor), attitude of (mother, siblings, friends, colleagues or classmates, and refuse), consumption of betel quid, knowledge, and attitude were significantly correlated with betel quid chewing. In addition, education, attitude (including refuse), and illness were significantly correlated with betel quid chewing cessation. Conclusion The peer's behavior and attitude were the most important factors to affect the study subjects' knowledge, attitude and behavior of betel chewing. However, self reported of illness and attitude were the important factors to affect the betel quid chewing cessation. We thus suggested to focus on the group health education program in the military, especially concentrating in the health effects on the betel quid chewing.

Emotional Energy as an Explanatory Construct for Fathers' Engagement with Their Infants

Objective. This goal of this study was to examine predictors of fathers' sensitivity and engagement with their young infants. Design. Predictors of the quality of father engagement during play and sensitivity during caregiving were explored in 73 middle-class families with a 6-month-old infant. Data were gathered through observation, self-report, and interviews. Results. Factors representing the exosystem (e.g., income and work characteristics) and microsystem (e.g., family and individual characteristics) were found to predict fathers' sensitivity during caregiving and engagement during play. Compared with father - infant play in the dyad, when mothers were present all types of interaction except social play decreased in frequency. Correlational and regression analyses supported the view that fathers were more sensitive and/or engaged with their infants when they did not suffer from job stress, possessed positive coping skills, held more child-centered beliefs, wanted to be like their own fathers, had wives who were more engaged when they played with their infants, and had male infants. Fathers were more affectionate toward their infants when they were in more harmonious marriages and the infants were temperamentally easy. Conclusions. These findings confirm the position that fathering behavior is best understood within an ecological, multilevel framework and that emotional energy is a reasonable explanatory construct underlying fathers' sensitivity and engagement.

Monthly Patterns of Testosterone and Behavior in Prospective Fathers

The individual time patterns of salivary testosterone of adult healthy men, self-reported sexual behavior and their co-occurrence with regular weekly or monthly intervals were studied. Twenty-seven volunteer males (mean age 33 ± 1 years) collected daily morning saliva over a period of 90 days. Evening questionnaires provided daily information on sexual activity. From the saliva, testosterone immunoreactive substances were determined using enzyme immunoassay. To detect events in which increases of testosterone were associated with sexual activity and at the same time controlling for regular internal patterns in men, data were analyzed using Theme software. First results indicated a varying number of complex nonrandom interaction patterns of testosterone with sexual activity, but also with weekly (i.e., Saturdays) and monthly intervals (i.e., 28-day full-moon intervals). The social context of the occurrence of specific pattern combinations was elaborated using parameters from the men's self-reported general life history profiles. Peak hormone levels occurred around weekends in the majority of the males. The 28-day monthly interval coincided with testosterone peaks only in those of the paired men who reported a current wish for children (“prospective fathers”), but not in unpaired men or in those who did not wish to have children with their current partner. Rather than representing a direct regular pattern of the male testosterone per se, the observed patterns suggest that men have the facultative potential to adjust their testosterone responses to their female partner's cycle. In line with the interactions between behavior and androgens observed in vertebrates in general, this study adds an example of the mutual character of hormone–behavior interactions and, thus, for the social context of testosterone patterns in human males.

"Comment se font les enfans?" Sex Education and the Preservation of Innocence in Eighteenth-Century France

Against the backdrop of high infant mortality rates, the widespread practice of child abandonment, women dying in childbirth, and the overall difficulty of bearing and raising children, the notion of family stood out as one of the great obsessions of eighteenth-century France.1 Domestic scenes of familial virtue depicting the proper behavior of fathers, mothers, and children were common in the art and literature of the day; and treatises on the correct way of educating sons and daughters abounded. However, the integrity of this model was constantly threatened by the libertine mores that the would-be virtuous families of the day saw lurking just outside their doors. Thus the new focus on family and familial virtue often masked the period's deep-seated fear of society's moral corruption. In the real, or simply perceived, struggle between the bonheur of domestic virtue and the plaisir of libertine decadence, it became imperative to educate France's youth about the dangers of debauchery. This meant teaching them about sex. But in this era of Enlightenment, how would philosophers conceptualize sex education outside the dogma of the Church? How could they promote virtue without playing upon

Paternal Child-Rearing Style and Child Social Anxiety: Investigation of Child Perceptions and Actual Father Behavior

This study examined associations among perceived and actual father behavior and child social anxiety. Forty-eight children (22 high socially anxious, 26 low socially anxious) completed self-report measures of social anxiety, general anxiety, and depression. Children also completed a measure of perceived parental style and subsequently collaborated with their fathers on a challenging task (origami). After controlling for general anxiety and depression, fathers of high socially anxious children exhibited more controlling behavior during the origami task; high and low socially anxious children, however, did not differ behaviorally from one another. Perceptions of father child-rearing style did not differ as a function of child social anxiety, nor were significant relations found between perceived parenting and specific father behaviors. Findings underscore the importance of assessing various types of internalizing symptoms (i.e., controlling for shared construct variance), obtaining children's perceptions of parental style in conjunction with conducting behavioral observations, and including fathers in psychopathology research.

Parental Identity and Reflected‐Appraisals: Measurement and Gender Dynamics

A new theoretical model for parental identity, reflected‐appraisals, and behavior was proposed. Parental identity and behavior in married parents were then investigated as a function of partner's and perceived reflected‐appraisals, taking into account gender context effects. Sixty‐four married couples completed the Caregiving and Breadwinning Identity and Reflected‐Appraisal Inventory (CBIRAI), developed for this study to assess parental caregiving and breadwinning identity and reflected‐appraisals, as well as caregiving and breadwinning behavior measures. The model was confirmed for fathers and partially confirmed for mothers. Specifically, caregiving identity and behavior in fathers, and breadwinning identity in mothers were functions of perceived reflected‐appraisals. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Health status and behaviors of unwed fathers

This article focuses on the well-being and capacities of 1759 new fathers in seven cities using data from the Fragile Families Study. Comparisons are made between married (N=478) and unmarried fathers (N=1281). With the unwed fathers, we compare those who are cohabiting, who are stably romantically involved but not cohabiting, who are involved in an unstable romantic relationship, who are not romantically involved but friends, and who have no relationship with the mother. The six indicators of fathers' well-being capacities include physical health, depressive symptoms, drug and alcohol use, smoking, and physical abuse of the mother. These findings show that married fathers are more advantaged than unwed fathers vis-à-vis education, income, and age; they also are in better physical and mental health. Among the unwed fathers, those who are cohabiting are more advantaged and healthier than those who are not cohabiting, although the differences are not as great as those between married and unmarried fathers. Non-resident fathers who are romantically involved are similar in income, age and education to fathers who are not romantically involved but are friends, although the former are less likely than the latter to be using drugs, to be depressed or to have hit or slapped the mother. The fathers who are romantically involved in an unstable (i.e., off-and-on) relationship are less healthy than those in a more sustained romantic or cohabiting relationship. The fathers who have no relationship with the mother are most likely to exhibit unhealthy behaviors. About two percent of the married fathers, 3% of the unmarried cohabiting and stably romantically involved, 5% of the unstably romantically involved, 7% of the friends, and 11% of those with no relationship had hit or slapped the mother as reported by her. About one-half of the married fathers, a little over a third of the unwed fathers who are cohabiting, stably romantically involved or unstably romantically involved or friends, and only one-sixth of the fathers with no relationship have none of the six behaviors. In contrast, one-fifth of the unwed fathers with no relationship and one-eighth of the unstably romantically involved fathers have three or more of the six risky behaviors, as compared to one-tenth of the unwed fathers with involvement and 3% of the married fathers. Implications for welfare reform and child support are discussed.

Father Involvement in the Lives of Mainland Puerto Rican Children: Contributions of Nonresident, Cohabiting and Married Fathers

This study examines the nature and determinants of father involvement among mainland Puerto Ricans using interview data collected from mothers of a representative sample of Puerto Rican infants. Focusing on both financial contributions and participation in child care (e.g. diapering feeding and bathing the child) the behavior of non-resident fathers is compared to that of cohabiting fathers and married fathers. A key question addressed in the analysis is whether father involvement is influenced primarily by the fathers economic status or whether other factors identified in the literature are also important for Puerto Ricans. Overall the authors results underscore the critical role of employment in fathers contributions to Puerto Rican children. (authors)

Forging collaborative partnerships to enhance family health: an assessment of strengths and challenges in conducting community-based research.

Community-based research has emerged as a vital strategy for developing effective, culturally relevant health interventions. This article describes the strengths and challenges of building a collaborative research partnership based on equality between academic researchers, public health practitioners, and representatives from community-based organizations. The model of collaboration adopted for the Fathers and Sons Project is described and examples of model applications are discussed. Lessons learned in the form of strengths/benefits and potential pitfalls in developing a community-based intervention designed to enhance the health behaviors of African American nonresidential fathers and their sons are provided.