When do Dads Matter: Relationships between Paternal Child-Rearing Practices and Child Anxiety Across Early Childhood

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Child fearful temperament, although at least somewhat heritable and biologically based (Goldsmith et al., 1987), is related to parents’ child rearing behaviors. Though both parents affect child development, the interplay between parental behavior and child temperament has been studied mostly in mothers. The literature on fathers’ role in child temperament provides conflicting results. While some findings suggest fathers’ behaviors relate only to children’s externalizing behaviors, others conclude controlling fathers are more likely to have anxious children (Bögels & Phares 2008; Cassano et al.,2007). Others claim paternal behaviors have no relation to child anxiety outcomes (Parrington & Kerns, 2016). It is possible that findings are inconsistent as studies are considering different developmental stages and the relation between paternal behaviors and child temperament may change across development. It is important to address this gap by studying both the concurrent and long-term relationships between paternal behavior and child temperament. The current study accomplishes this by determining when paternal behavior relates to child fearful temperament across early childhood.

Participants were 120 father-child dyads (44.2% female). Children completed lab procedures when they were 1, 2, and 3 years old. At each time point, fathers completed the Child Rearing Practices Report (Block, 1965) to report their levels of controlling, nurturing, encouraging, and protective behaviors. Additionally, children completed a battery of tasks for assessing fearful temperament at each visit. Children were approached with novel and uncertain situations (e.g. being approached by a stranger) to determine their levels of fearful temperament (Fox et al., 2001).

Results indicate an interesting relationship between paternal behavior and child inhibited temperament. Preliminary correlations suggest no concurrent relations between paternal and child behavior at times 1 and 2. However, at time 3, there was a significant relationship between paternal encouragement of independence and child inhibited temperament (r=.297, p=.016). Perhaps most interesting is that paternal and child behaviors were related across times 1 and 3. A moderate relationship between child temperament at time 1 and paternal encouragement of independence at time 3 was found (r=.329, p=.03). Additionally, paternal nurturing behaviors at time 1 predicted child inhibited temperament at time 3 while controlling for time 1 inhibited temperament (b=-.617, SE=.240, p=.014), suggesting father-directed effects on children. Surprisingly, there was no relation between paternal protective behaviors and child inhibited temperament, which is contradictory to the current literature. Further regressions and path analyses will be conducted in time for the conference to determine directionality of relationships.

Results provide an interesting contribution to the literature on the relation between parenting and child temperament. Results suggested paternal child-rearing’s association with child fearful temperament may only begin manifesting around age 3. Additionally, the reciprocal relationship of child behavior relating to paternal behavior suggests a possible feedback loop that contributes to temperament. Future steps include comparing paternal and maternal behaviors both within and across timepoints. Overall, these findings indicate that the association between paternal behavior and child temperament is time-dependent, addressing the current inconsistencies of the literature.

Authors

• Nicole M. Baumgartner, Miami University - Ohio
  Presenting Author

• Elizabeth J Kiel, Miami University - Ohio
  Non-Presenting Author