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Objective Background Methods Results Conclusion This study examines the relationship between paternal incarceration, child care instability, and children's well‐being.Despite the established repercussions of paternal incarceration for children and families, little is known about how paternal incarceration is associated with child care arrangements and how unstable child care arrangements moderate the deleterious consequences of paternal incarceration for children's well‐being.We use data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a cohort of urban children born around the turn of the 21st century, to examine the relationship between recent first‐time paternal incarceration and child care instability (measured by long‐term instability, multiplicity, and back‐up care arrangements). We also examine how child care instability moderates the relationship between recent first‐time paternal incarceration and children's problem behaviors.Analyses suggest three main findings. First, paternal incarceration is positively associated with long‐term child care instability, net of prior instability and factors associated with selection into paternal incarceration. Paternal incarceration is not associated with multiplicity or back‐up care. Second, the relationship between paternal incarceration and children's problem behaviors is larger among children with unstable care arrangements than among those with stable care arrangements. Third, children living with their father prior to his incarceration, compared to children not living with their father prior to his incarceration, experience larger consequences of paternal incarceration.We document the relationship between paternal incarceration and child care instability and how this instability moderates the association between paternal incarceration and children's problem behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Israeli single gay fathers' reproductive choices. Thematic analysis of 13 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Israeli single gay fathers yielded two themes related to their reproductive choice. The first theme pertains to their decision to become single fathers. Three dimensions were prominent in the participants' decision to pursue lone parenthood: the choice to fulfill parenthood as gay men; the choice to separate parenthood from couplehood; and the view of single parenthood as empowerment. The second theme pertained to the fathers' decision to use surrogacy, which was influenced by three key factors: the desire to parent a biological child, the desire for exclusive fatherhood, and the perceived advantages of surrogacy for single fathers. The findings indicate that the fathers narrated their reproductive experiences in terms of choice and autonomy, while negotiating with dominant concepts of parenthood as a two-parent, heteronormative and biogenetic phenomenon. These men referred to the challenge they posed to some of these concepts and the social barriers they encountered as factors that facilitated their coping skills in lone parenthood, thereby enhancing their agency. These findings highlight the contextual, multidimensional and relational nature of the reproductive choices of men from minority groups like single gay fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how Chinese parents' narratives about the father's and the mother's influence on child development reveal their gender beliefs and socialization goals. Drawing on interviews of 62 father-mother pairs from a mixed-method longitudinal study in Nanjing, China, we found that contrary to the assumption that parents of both genders benefit children's development in their respective, gender-typical ways in extant literature, our participants believed that mothers as executor of 'trivial' childrearing tasks provide few positive influences than fathers who steer the 'broad' directions of child development and cultivation of male traits. Parents emphasized the importance of instilling masculinity in both boys and girls, which differs from the valuation of mothers' same-gender role modeling for daughters in Western-based studies. Yet underneath the father's 'masculine' influences are concerns about children's ability to meet increasingly rigid and narrow standards for masculinity in today's China, which imposes pressure on mothers, fathers, and sons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparison to resident fathers, non-resident fathers face formidable challenges in maintaining a consistent presence in their children's lives. Such challenges tend to exist on multiple contextual levels--intrapersonal, interpersonal, neighborhood, community, cultural, and societal. We conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with a sample of eight participants who identified as an African American, biological, non-resident father to at least one child, ages 5–17. We explored barriers and facilitators to their involvement on five contextual levels—self, co-parenting, family, social/community, and societal. We employed a phenomenological methodology which revealed numerous barriers to involvement with children, including the father's own personal lived experiences, conflictual co-parenting and family dynamics, engagement in the street lifestyle, and challenges with parenting across multiple households. Findings also revealed several supports to involvement with children, including the father's determination to be involved and growth mindset toward fathering, positive and supportive co-parenting relationships, family support, and fatherhood programs. The results of this study are intended to provide contextually-based insights for service providers that can be translated into service delivery and applied to programs that focus on eliminating barriers and increasing supports to father involvement, thereby improving child well-being and enhancing family functioning. Highlights: Using a phenomenological methodology, we identified barriers and supports to non-resident African American father involvement with children. Barriers and supports existed on four contextual levels: (1) self, (2) co-parenting, (3) family, and (4) social and community. Barriers included the father's lived experiences (i.e., parenting fears and insecurities and incarceration), co-parenting and family dynamics (i.e., co-parenting conflict and parenting across multiple households), and the street lifestyle. Facilitators included the father's determination to be involved, a growth mindset, positive and supportive co-parenting relationships, family support, and fatherhood programs. We offer a conceptual ecological framework to assist service providers in their work with non-resident African American fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is a crucial period for gender socialization. While the theoretical link between parental involvement (i.e., the degree of parental engagement in parenting and child-rearing activities) and adolescents' gender-typed traits (i.e., masculinity and femininity) is clear, the potential different influences of paternal and maternal involvement on boys and girls have yet to be explored. This study examined the moderating role of adolescents' gender in the relations between parental involvement and adolescents' gender-typed traits. A total of 512 Chinese adolescents (40.8% boys; Mage = 15.73 years, SD = 1.50) participated in this study and completed self-report measures of paternal involvement, maternal involvement, masculinity, and femininity. The results indicated that both higher maternal and paternal involvement were significantly associated with higher levels of adolescents' masculinity in the total sample, but only higher maternal involvement was significantly associated with higher levels of femininity. However, multi-group comparison analysis showed that the association between paternal involvement and masculinity was only significant in boys. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in the association between maternal involvement and adolescent femininity or masculinity, nor in the association between paternal involvement and femininity. These findings challenge the narrow view that links the absence of certain gender-typed traits in adolescents solely to the lack of a certain parental figure. The findings highlight the significance of joint participation between fathers and mothers, emphasizing their crucial roles in fostering balanced development of gender-typed traits among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined children's mothers', fathers' and other caregivers' socioemotional parenting practices in 159,959 families with 3- to 4-year-olds from 51 low-and-middle income countries. Mothers engaged in the most socioemotional caregiving practices, followed by other caregivers and then fathers. The more socioemotional caregiving practices mothers engaged in, the more fathers engaged in, but the fewer other caregivers engaged in. The higher the level of national development, the more likely it is that mothers and fathers, but the less likely it is that other caregivers, engaged in socioemotional caregiving practices. Nations with mothers who engaged in more socioemotional caregiving practices had children who demonstrated more advanced development. At the within-country level, the more that all three caregivers engaged in socioemotional caregiving practices, the greater was children's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caregiver relationships are associated with adolescent subjective well-being. Yet, little is known about the contributions of father-adolescent relationship quality to well-being including perseverance, connectedness, and happiness or the specific contributions of father-adolescent relationship quality to these outcomes after accounting for covariates. Objective: This study aimed to understand how father-adolescent relationships and school connectedness interact with one another when positive adolescent functioning are the outcomes. Methods: Adolescents (N = 2,509; Mage = 15.5; 51.8% male; Black and African American (47.9%), Hispanic (24.8%), and white (17.7%) participating in the FFCWBS provided cross-sectional data. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine direct associations between father-adolescent relationship quality and each of the three adolescent subjective well-being outcomes (perseverance, connectedness, and happiness), and to evaluate the moderating role of adolescent biological sex in these associations. Covariates included race, household income, father's residential status, the adolescent's relationship with the mother and school connectedness. Results: Regressions showed that father-adolescent relationship quality was significantly associated with each well-being outcome beyond the contributions of demographics, mother-adolescent relationships, and school connectedness, and had similar associations with the outcomes by sex. Conclusions: Our conclusions highlight the priority of including and retaining fathers in research and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore intrinsic and extrinsic factors that help nonresident fathers' continuing relationships with their children. Background: Research on nonresident fathers tends to focus on rates or trajectories of contact and the perspectives or experiences of children or others and highlights significant barriers to development and maintenance of relationships between nonresident fathers and their children. What helps the growth and development of nonresident fathers' relationships with their children are less well understood and less frequently researched. This research sought to fill the gap in the literature of what is known that helps nonresident fathers maintain meaningful relationships with their children. Method: A qualitative research approach was chosen using thematic analysis of semistructured, in‐depth interviews. Recruitment was via social media and community sites targeting nonresident fathers after divorce. Results: Participants highlighted deep commitment to ongoing fathering and a deep desire for meaningful relationships with children. The experience of divorce had a highly negative impact, but some positives emerged that enhanced their relationship. Significant others played contingent roles helping participants improve their relationships with their children. Conclusion: Continuity of relationships with children was the direct result of participants' actions to remain involved and their ongoing commitment to their children through strong and unwavering fatherhood role salience. These factors, together with actions for self‐improvement, managing change, and fostering cooperative relationships with relevant others, helped fathers maintain positive engagement and relationships with their children. Implications: The nonresident fathers in this study relied on their own initiatives, resilience, and resources to remain engaged with their children. Policies and programs should respond to and encourage the development of policies and programs that help nonresident fathers' relationships with children in practical and meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study's aim was to explore and describe adolescent offenders' experiences of their fathers' involvement before and during their own incarceration in a South African context. Background: Research on father involvement is focused predominantly on adult offenders' experiences of father involvement without emphasis on adolescents' experiences regarding father involvement, including in a South African context. Methods: A qualitative explorative‐descriptive research design was employed. A nonprobability, purposive sampling technique was used, and the sample size was determined through data saturation. The sample included nine male adolescents between the ages of 17 and 19 years from a correctional center in Pretoria, South Africa. Semistructured individual interviews and drawings made by participants were used as the data collection methods and data were analyzed thematically. Results: Two main themes with subthemes were identified: Experiences of father absence before and/or during incarceration and desires for and suggestions to improve father involvement. Conclusion: The findings are primarily indicative of the general lack of father involvement and fatherly support experienced by participants. Implications: The findings highlight the need for adolescent offenders to have access to counseling or therapy and intervention programs suitable for juvenile correctional centers focusing specifically on providing young, incarcerated, male adolescents with paternal role models that can help foster a sense of ethical and moral guidance and provision of different forms of support. Father intervention programs including men's talks, motivational speaking, and psychoeducational programs to advise fathers on how to be more involved in their children's lives are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of what is known about non-resident fathers is based on studies conducted in North America and Europe, and on the accounts of only one family member. This article draws from a study which utilised a family systems perspective and obtained the views of four members of ten Black South African non-resident father families (N = 40) with infrequent father–child contact. The aim was to investigate if and how non-resident fathers' contact with adolescent children was influenced by relationships with various family members. Individual interviews were conducted with each of the family member and thematically analysed. Here, we engage with one of the master themes that shows the circular dynamic in families in which various family members held implicit assumptions about who was responsible for father–child contact and, subsequently, did not view the responsibility to be theirs. Infrequent or lack of non-resident father–child contact should therefore be addressed as a family systems issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Varying obesogenic inherited predisposition in early to later life may differentially impact colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, conducted in populations of European genetic similarity, have not observed any significant associations between early life body weight with CRC risk. However, it remains unclear whether body mass index (BMI) at different early lifetime points is causally related with CRC risk in both Europeans and East Asian populations.We conducted a two‐sample MR study to investigate potential causal relationships between genetically predicted BMI during early life (birth to 8 years old) and at specific periods (birth, transient, early rise and late rise) and CRC risk.Summary data were obtained from genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of BMI in 28 681 children from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) study and applied to CRC GWAS data from European and East Asian descent populations (102 893 cases and 485 083 non‐cases).There were no significant associations observed between early life BMI and CRC risk in European or East Asian populations. The effect estimates were similar in European studies (odds ratio [OR] per a 1‐standard deviation [SD] increase: 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95, 1.07) and in East Asians (OR per a 1‐SD increase: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.14). Similar nonsignificant associations were found between time of BMI measurement during childhood and cancer‐site‐specific analyses.We found little evidence of any associations between early life adiposity on later life CRC risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There has been conflicting evidence in earlier research on the association between parental age and autism risk. To clarify this association, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies. The primary objective of this study was to determine the association between parents' age and the risk of autism in the offspring. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched for reports published up to November 2023. Results from relevant studies were pooled using random effects models. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to examine heterogeneity between the studies. Studies were included in this meta-analysis that focused on children with autism and examined the relationship between parents' age (mother or father) and the risk of autism.The quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results: This meta-analysis included 41 articles. The low age of mother (OR = 0.96, (95% CIs: 0.88–1.05) and father (OR = 1.11, (95% CIs: 0.98–1.24) was not significantly associated with lower risk of autism in children. Conversely, greater paternal and maternal ages were associated with an increased risk of autism in their children. The adjusted odds ratios for mothers' and fathers' ages were 1.47 (95% CIs: 1.33–1.62) and 1.51 (95% CIs: 1.40–1.62), respectively. Conclusion: Increased risk of autism in children is significantly associated with greater parents' ages. Further research is needed to gain further insight into the mechanisms responsible for the effects of parents' ages on the risk of autism in children. Lay Summary: The findings of previous studies on the association between parents' ages and their children's autism risk have been mixed. Therefore, by carefully examining a number of previous investigations, in this study we aimed to determine the exact relationship between parental age and autism risk. According to the study's findings, parents who are older have a higher chance of their child getting autism. In other words, children of older parents are more likely to develop autism. The exact causes of this relationship, however, are still unclear. This study shows that higher age of parents can be one of the risk factors for autism in their childs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Father involvement, defined in terms of both the quantity and quality of ways in which fathers may be involved, affects the child's development. How specifically father involvement links to emotion regulation during early childhood (0–5 years) is, however, less clear. Methods: This literature review synthesizes research on the links between father involvement and emotion regulation during early childhood, as well as the measurement methods used to assess them. Ten relevant studies were identified via four databases (up to August 2023). Results: Results showed no significant direct links, but significant links appeared between high father involvement and more adaptive emotion regulation when moderated by variables related to the assessment of father involvement and emotion regulation, as well as the characteristics of the father and the child. Conclusions: Future research should continue to use observational measures of father behaviors and child emotion regulation, increase the use of physiological measures of emotion regulation, and consider the influence of maternal and family variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasons for the increased incidence of depression in Chinese children remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study explored the influence of paternal companionship and peer relationships on depression in children based on OLS method using data reported by 2498 children from China (children Mage 10.7; 52.1% girls). We found that both variables could alleviate depression among children, but the effect of peer relationships was significantly greater than that of paternal companionship. This conclusion remains robust after considering gender, age and family structure. Heterogeneity studies have found that paternal companionship significantly impact boys, while peer relationships significantly impact girls. Mechanism analysis demonstrated that both factors can indirectly alleviate depression in children by regulating anxiety. Our research results emphasize the importance of increasing paternal companionship and peer relationships to alleviate depression in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to adapt the Maternal Gatekeeping Scale into Turkish for use with infants and to evaluate its validity and reliability with parents. The study employed a descriptive survey model, a quantitative research approach. Participants were selected using criterion sampling, a purposeful sampling technique. The study sample included 305 mothers and 209 fathers with infants aged 0–24 months, who are married, living together, and agreed to participate. The data in the study were collected with the "Demographic Information Form" and "Maternal Gatekeeping Scale" created by the researcher. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed for the construct validity of the Maternal Gatekeeping Scale- Mother Form and Maternal Gatekeeping Scale- Father Form. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of the Maternal Gatekeeping Scale-Mother Form was 0.76; the control sub-dimension was 0.75, the encouragement sub-dimension was 0.81, and the obstacle sub-dimension was 0.76. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of the Maternal Gatekeeping Scale-Father Form was 0.87; the control sub-dimension was 0.83, the encouragement sub-dimension was 0.87, and the obstacle sub-dimension was 0.87. In order to calculate item discriminations, 27% lower-upper groups were formed and independent sample t-test was applied to these groups. Item-total correlation values were calculated to determine the relationship between each item in the scale and other items. The findings of this study demonstrate that both the Mother and Father Forms of the Maternal Gatekeeping Scale are valid and reliable tools for assessing maternal gatekeeping among parents with infants in Türkiye. The adaptation of this scale represents a significant advancement in the field of maternal gatekeeping during infancy. It is anticipated that this adapted scale will serve as a foundational resource for future research, facilitating the exploration of determinants and consequences associated with maternal gatekeeping in infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to examine the association for paternal care and father-child screen use with early childhood development and children's temper tantrums. Method: Study file included questions about paternal characteristics, child care, father-child screen habits, and utilized the UNICEF Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI). Factors influencing ECDI-on-track status and children's responses when screen use was restricted were investigated with Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression. Results: The study included 464 fathers having children aged 3–4 years. The findings showed that 89.7% of the children were on track in three out of the four ECDI subgroups. When screen use was restricted, 55.6% of the children engaged in another activity, while 44.4% reacted by crying. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the father's education level, the child's age and gender, the starting age for screen usage, the child's reaction to screen restriction, and having three or more books were associated with ECDI. Furthermore, the child's reaction to screen restriction was related to the child's and father's screen time, the presence of three or more books, the adequacy of care, and being on track in the literacy-numeracy ECDI subgroup. Conclusion: Screen usage habits significantly impact early childhood development and children's reactions to screen restrictions. These findings underscore the importance of educating fathers about the effects of their own and their child's media habits, the quality of fatherly caregiving, and the presence of books in fostering positive child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYNOPSISObjective. We do not know which specific paternal caregiving practices are associated with more advanced child development in understudied low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The current investigation attempts to identify such caregiving practices. Design. Maternal reports of six specific paternal caregiving practices which may be uniquely associated with early childhood development were examined in a sample of 159,959 families with 3- to 4-year-old children from 51 LMICs. Both father caregiving practices and early childhood development scores were quantified using measures from UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Linear regression models examined which paternal caregiving practices were associated with early childhood development after controlling for the contributions of mothers and children’s other caregivers engaging in the same practices as well as father residence in the home and multiple aspects of the physical home environment and national context. Results. When fathers read to their children, named/counted/drew with their children, or sang to their children, their children demonstrated more advanced overall development. When fathers read, named/counted/drew, and told stories to their children, their children also demonstrated more advanced development in literacy/numeracy and approaches to learning. Some effects depended on whether fathers resided in the home. Fathers naming/counting/drawing with their children was associated with more advanced child development in approaches to learning, and fathers reading to their children was associated with more advanced child socioemotional development only if fathers resided in the child’s home. Conclusions. Fathers reading to their children, naming/counting/drawing with their children, and singing to their children appear to be specific “active ingredients” that promote child development in LMICs. Some of these ingredients only actively promote child development when fathers reside in the child’s home environment. These practices should be supported and encouraged in policy and practice. Fathers’ caregiving matters for child development across a wide swath of LMICs in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations of child behavioral problems with parental adjustment and whether family processes mediated such associations. Cross-sectional data were collected from the fathers, mothers, and class teachers of 186 kindergarten-aged children with special educational needs from Hong Kong, China (mean age = 61.6 months, and 136 of them were boys). Using questionnaires, parents reported their children's behavioral problems and their own adjustment and family processes. Meanwhile, class teachers rated children's behavioral problems. Multigroup analyses supported a mediation model that was invariant across fathers and mothers. Controlling for child and family demographic information, child behavioral problems were linked positively to parental depression and negatively to parental life satisfaction. Moreover, the link of child behavioral problems with parental depression was fully mediated by family economic pressures, marital conflict, and parent–child conflict, whereas the link of child behavioral problems with parental life satisfaction was fully mediated by family economic pressures and marital conflict. Theoretically, our findings pointed to the importance of considering multiple family processes in understanding the relationship between child characteristics and parental well-being among families with children with special educational needs. Practically, our findings highlighted the possible utility of equipping fathers and mothers of children with special educational needs with skills to reduce children's problem behaviors, cope with financial hardship, and manage marital and parent–child conflict. Public Policy Relevance Statement: This study demonstrated that, for both fathers and mothers of children with special educational needs, the negative association of child behavioral problems with parental well-being was mediated by multiple family processes, including family economic pressures, marital conflict, and parent–child conflict. Therefore, practitioners and policymakers may consider helping both fathers and mothers reduce children's misbehaviors, manage financial hardship, and deal with family conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining the parent–child relationship while a parent is incarcerated is critical to the well-being of both parent and child. There is some evidence that video visits can be beneficial when they are used to supplement rather than replace in-person visits. This study explores how video visits support the father–child relationship during parental incarceration. Research was conducted with two public prisons in New South Wales, Australia, during the period of COVID-19 restrictions. Interviews with children's carers (n = 17) and fathers (n = 27) were analysed to identify the ways fathers engaged with their children and the benefits of the relationship. Three themes were identified: show and tell, which explored how the visual element of video visits contributed to parent–child interactions; part of their world, which identified how video visits became integrated into children's everyday lives; and along for the ride, which focused on child-initiated interactions. Challenges of using video visits were also explored in two themes: difficulty engaging, which showed how fathers and children can struggle to communicate and interact, and timing and transitions, which highlighted how video visits could be difficult or disruptive to children's mood and routines. Overall, video visits were perceived as enabling interactions that strengthened the engagement and relationship between the father and child. Highlights: When fathers are incarcerated, the benefits of video visitation with children include having a visual element that allows the father to be part of the child's world. Video visitation can be incorporated into the child's daily life for regular contact and enables child-led interactions. Challenges of video visits consist of disruption of mood and routines and difficulties initiating and maintaining the conversation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explored the link between maternal and paternal parenting self-efficacy (PSE) and the perceptions of their own parenting. Topics include associations between PSE and adolescent adjustment, gender considerations, and linear regression models with adolescents' outcomes as dependent variables.

A growing body of research suggests that, compared with single parent–child attachment relationships, child developmental outcomes may be better understood by examining the configurations of child–mother and child–father attachment relationships (i.e., attachment networks). Moreover, some studies have demonstrated an above-chance level chance of concordance between the quality of child–mother and child–father attachment relationships, and child temperament has been offered as a plausible explanation for such concordance. To assess whether temperament plays a role in the development of different attachment network configurations, in this preregistered individual participant data meta-analysis we tested the degree to which the temperament dimension of negative emotionality predicts the number of secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant, and disorganized attachment relationships a child has with mother and father. Data included in the linear mixed effects analyses were collected from seven studies sampling 872 children (49% female; 83% White). Negative emotionality significantly predicted the number of secure (d = −0.12) and insecure-resistant (d = 0.11), but not insecure-avoidant (d = 0.04) or disorganized (d = 0.08) attachment relationships. Nonpreregistered exploratory analyses indicated higher negative emotionality in children with insecure-resistant attachment relationships with both parents compared to those with one or none (d = 0.19), suggesting that temperament plays a small yet significant role in child–mother/child–father insecure-resistant attachment relationships concordance. Taken together, results from this study prompt a more in-depth examination of the mechanism underlying the small yet significantly higher chance that children with increased negative emotionality have for developing multiple insecure-resistant attachment relationships. Public Significance Statement: Little is known about whether temperament, which is thought of as a behavioral manifestation of one's genetic predisposition, plays a role in the development of simultaneous attachment relationships with multiple caregivers. Results from this study suggest that parents-reported temperamental attributes of negative emotionality play a small yet significant role in the number and concordance of insecure (especially resistant type) attachment relationships children develop with their mothers and fathers, prompting an in-depth examination of the mechanism underlying such associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioemotional and referential communication are primary expressions of interpersonal engagement in infancy and beyond. Early socioemotional communication in dyadic interactions may form a foundation for triadic referential communication and gesture production, yet the role of temperament in moderating their association has not been examined. We investigated whether early socioemotional communication behaviors, and infant temperamental reactivity, were associated with later pointing production. Participants were 51 infants (45% girls) and both their parents (86.5% Dutch). Early infant socioemotional communication (production of smile, vocalizations, and gaze) was observed during separate home-based face-to-face interactions with mothers, fathers, and strangers at 4 and 8 months. At both ages, mothers and fathers reported on infant temperamental surgency and negative affectivity, and overall means were calculated. Referential communication (declarative pointing) was measured during structured lab-based observations at 12 and 15 months. Socioemotional and referential communication behaviors were microanalytically coded second by second. Poisson multilevel regression analyses indicated interaction effects between temperament and smile, vocalizations, and gazes to the adult's face with each partner in predicting pointing. High levels of infant temperamental surgency tended to enhance positive associations between early socioemotional communication behaviors with mothers and fathers and pointing. By contrast, high levels of negative affectivity tended to dampen associations between early communication behaviors with strangers and pointing. Results highlight the importance of infant socioemotional communication with diverse partners and the moderating role of temperamental reactivity in predicting referential communication. Public Significance Statement: Infant referential communication (e.g., the pointing gesture) is a foundation of early social cognition and language development, yet documented behavioral precursors of pointing are scant. This study indicates that in interaction with temperamental reactivity, early behavioral patterns of infant socioemotional communication (smile, vocalizations, gaze) with diverse partners (mother, father, stranger) predict pointing. High levels of temperamental surgency tended to enhance positive associations between early socioemotional communication behaviors with mothers and fathers and pointing, while high levels of negative affectivity dampened associations between early communication behaviors with strangers and pointing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we aimed to investigate the mediating roles of paternal self-efficacy and relationship quality as serial mediators in associations with sexist attitudes and paternal involvement. For that purpose, a total of 420 married adult Turkish men with at least one child between the ages 4 and 10 participated, and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, Child-Oriented Sexist Attitude Scale, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, Positive-Negative Relationship Quality Scale, Inventory of Father Involvement, and Personal Information Form were administered. Following the testing of six different serial mediation models, it came to light that a) paternal self-efficacy and relationship quality (both positive and negative aspects) were found to mediate the relationship between benevolent sexism and paternal involvement and b) paternal self-efficacy and relationship quality (both positive and negative aspects) were found to mediate the relationship between gender-biased attitudes towards the child and paternal involvement. The research findings are discussed in the context of relevant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Democratic Republic of Congo hosts the longest-running and largest United Nations peacekeeping mission in history. The United Nations also has reckoned with sexual exploitation and abuse in its own ranks and, in 2003, recognized its importance with a Bulletin which became known as the 'zero tolerance policy'. Policymakers and researchers have paid little sustained attention, however, to children fathered by peacekeepers. In this article, we share the results of our mixed-methods SenseMaker® research with community members who interact with peacekeeping personnel and interviews with 58 women who are raising children fathered by peacekeepers. Despite the United Nations policies in place, most women did not report children fathered by peacekeepers and did not receive systematic support. The analysis reveals a large gap between the aspirations of the 'zero tolerance policy' and its operationalization in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We uncovered deep poverty and insecurity as both driving and resulting from women's sexual encounters with peacekeepers, with support needs largely unmet. We argue that there is a lack of enforcement of the United Nations policies, jurisdictional complexity and inaccessible justice, as well as significant gaps between the United Nations' approach to investigating and supporting children fathered by peacekeepers and the expectations of mothers, resulting in worsened life conditions for mothers and their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study is based on family systems theory and aims to explore the association between the quality of the separated parents' relationship and the frequency of father–child contact up to five years after parental separation. Using data collected from 408 families from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD), multilevel analyses and latent growth curve model were carried out. The results highlight a positive association between the separated parents' relationship and father–child contact and demonstrate the impact of the initial contact frequency on the evolution over time of the separated parents' relationship. They also highlight the contribution of custody tension, the child's age, the length of time the couple lived together, and the socio-economic status on the initial levels of the studied trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of 868 unmarried fathers who did not live with their children from birth to age 9, this study focused on the association between patterns of father–child contact during infancy and early and middle childhood and children's perceptions of their relationship with the father at age 9. Children perceived significantly better quality relationships with fathers at age 9 when they had regular contact with fathers during infancy and early and middle childhood, than fathers who never saw their children. Children who no longer saw their fathers after infancy perceived more negative relationship quality at age 9. Contact with fathers at ages 1 and 5 were associated with better quality relationships even if there was no contact at age 9. Implications for policy and programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paternal childcare engagement is a focus of work–family policy debates yet there is little consensus about what engagement means and how it might be measured. Drawing on Lamb's (1986) classification of paternal involvement, we run confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of two-parent households from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study to derive latent paternal engagement measures at nine months, three, five, seven and eleven years old. Structural Equation Modelling is used to explore the relationship between the engagement measures and parents' employment hours. Employment hours have a significant association with paternal childcare engagement in the early stages of a child's life, but it is paternal engagement in the previous time period that has a far stronger effect at every age. Specifically, paternal engagement in the first year of parenthood is important for fostering ongoing engagement until the child is at least age eleven, and this positive effect builds over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paternal postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant yet often neglected mental health issue affecting fathers during the postpartum period. While maternal postpartum depression is extensively studied, the psychological challenges faced by new fathers, particularly in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia, receive considerably less attention. Paternal postpartum depression not only impacts fathers' well-being but also affects the health and development of their children and their relationships with partners. Understanding the prevalence of paternal postpartum depression and its underlying causes in Ethiopia is essential for developing effective healthcare policies and tailored support programs for new fathers. The goal of this meta-analysis and systematic review is to compile the information currently available regarding the prevalence of and contributing factors to postpartum depression in Ethiopian fathers. Methods: This study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and focused on research from Ethiopia. A comprehensive search was performed across multiple databases, including Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Medline. Data were systematically collected using a structured checklist and analyzed with STATA version 11. To assess heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q test and I² statistic were applied. Publication bias was also checked using Egger's regression analysis, a funnel plot, and Begg's test. Results: Five studies with a total of 2,055 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of paternal postpartum depression in Ethiopia was 20.86% (95% CI: 16.43–25.29). Significant factors associated with paternal postpartum depression included low family income (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.46–6.32), substance use (OR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.63–5.37), poor social support (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 2.53–7.23), unplanned pregnancy (OR = 3.42, 95% CI: 2.24–5.24), and infant sleep problems (OR = 4.78, 95% CI: 2.35–9.73). Heterogeneity was high (I² = 97.9%, P < 0.05). A subgroup analysis was conducted to better understand the variations among the primary studies. Conclusion: The study reveals a significant prevalence of paternal postpartum depression in Ethiopia, highlighting key risk factors such as low family income, substance use, poor social support, unplanned pregnancies, and infant sleep difficulties. These findings emphasize the need for routine depression screening for fathers, improved social support programs, education on infant sleep management, and further research to develop targeted prevention and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, there is mounting evidence about the importance of father involvement for improving child and family wellbeing. However, there are limited measurement tools available for assessing father involvement in low-resource settings globally. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a scale for measuring fathers' engagement in caregiving activities for young children and families in rural Kenya. Methods: We used baseline data collected in February–March 2023 from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a parenting intervention aimed at improving early child development in Nyamira and Vihiga counties in Western Kenya. The analytic sample comprised 460 primary caregivers of children under 18 months of age (91.3% mothers) who were in a relationship with a male caregiver of the young child (i.e., father). The primary caregiver reported on the 25-item father involvement scale. We conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to determine the dimensionality of the measure and estimated latent variable regression models to assess construct and predictive validity in terms of associations with sociodemographic factors, other paternal and maternal psychosocial measures, and early child development outcomes. Results: The scale had a four-factor structure representing father involvement in (1) childcare activities, (2) play and affection, (3) household chores, and (4) early learning activities. Each factor showed good internal consistency reliability and evidence of multiple forms of validity. The four factors were associated with child and household sociodemographic characteristics and more positive paternal and maternal psychosocial outcomes. Father involvement across all four domains was associated with higher early child cognitive, language, motor, and socioemotional development scores. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the multidimensional nature of fathers' caregiving roles in the lives of young children and their families. We establish a valid tool for assessing father involvement in rural Western Kenya that has potential for use in other similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Background Method Results Conclusion Implications To examine the racial socialization practices of White fathers with their biological Black and White biracial sons.Socializing children of color to live in a society where they may experience discrimination is an essential part of parenting. This may be challenging for White fathers with Black biracial sons because of their different lived experiences, which can be harmful to their sons.A phenomenological approach was used to conduct 10 in‐depth, semistructured interviews with a sample of White fathers with biological Black biracial sons. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.Four racial socialization practices were identified: (a) talking to son about his racial/cultural heritages, (b) exposing son to his racial/cultural heritages, (c) exposing son to environments that are diverse, and (d) talking to son about discrimination.Family professionals can work with White fathers to help them overcome any challenges they may encounter to socialize their Black biracial sons to navigate society as a man of color.Family practitioners and school personnel can promote and encourage the attendance of parenting programs that focus on discussing discrimination with children and strategies parents can use to develop a healthy multiracial identity in children. Religious leaders can encourage diversity with International Day celebrations and facilitate discussions with congregants about racial inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYNOPSISObjective. The extents to which external barriers to communication, parental stress and intimacy, child psychological adjustment and age together and uniquely are associated with the frequency and quality of remote communication between deployed military fathers and their children were explored. Findings based on data reported by deployed fathers and at-home mothers were also compared. Design. Survey data were collected from 72 military deployed fathers and their wives/partners about the fathers’ communication with their 4- to 17-year-old children. Questions concerned the frequency and relationship quality of father-child remote communication and hypothesized predictors of communication extracted from the parent-child communication literature. Results. Regression analyses revealed that, as a group, external barriers to communication, parental stress and intimacy, child psychological adjustment and age predicted the quality but not the quantity of father-child remote communication and that lower quality father-child communication as reported by both parents was associated with child externalizing behavior problems. Parental stress was associated with lower father-reported quality of communication, and parental intimacy was associated with higher mother-reported quality of communication. Child older age was associated with father reported lower quality of communication. Conclusions. The quality of deployed father-child communication is associated with parental and child variables known to be associated with father-child communication when parent and child are in the same location, suggesting that interventions for improving co-located father-child relationships may be adaptable for use when military fathers and children are separated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation skills are fundamental for student development. To enhance these skills effectively, understanding their influencing factors is essential. Drawing on data from the Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) 2019 China Suzhou Survey, this study examines how interpersonal relationships influence adolescent students' cooperation skills. It was found that the father-child relationship, mother-child relationship, classmate relationship, teacher-student relationship, and neighborhood relationship all positively affected adolescent students' cooperation skills, after controlling students' gender and family's socio-economic status. Notably, relationships with classmates emerge as the most significant contributors to students' cooperation skills, demonstrating significant interaction effects with mother-child relationship, father-child relationship, teacher-student relationship, and neighbourhood relationship. The discussion and application of the findings enhance the cultivation of students' cooperation skills effectively, thereby equipping students with essential capabilities for success in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children spend a significant amount of time engaging in sedentary behaviors, defined as activities that do not increase energy expenditure significantly above resting levels, such as watching TV and playing PC/video games. Increased screen time is a significant public health concern because children are in a developmental stage where lifestyle behaviors predict various health outcomes in adulthood and beyond. This study explores the links between parent-child attachment, ego resilience, and children's screen time. Methods: This cross-sectional correlation study uses 1,163 parents and their children data from the 12th Panel Survey of Korean Children. The study instruments were a modified Armsden and Greenberg scale of parent-child attachment and modified the children's ego resilience scale of the Block and Kremen. Children's screen time was classified as more than 2 h per day spent watching television, playing on computers, or playing video games in their leisure time. Results: Study results show a negative association between father-child attachment and children's screen time (ß = -0.43, p <.001) and a positive association between father-child attachment and ego resilience (ß = 0.24, p <.001). Ego resilience showed a negative link to children's screen time after adjusting for parental attachment (ß =- 0.03, p =.009). Father-child attachment link to children's screen time (ß = -0.36, p <.001) continued even though the association was slightly reduced in magnitude after adjusting for ego resilience. Conclusions: Our findings show the mediating role of ego resilience on a negative path of father-child attachment to children's screen time. This finding emphasizes the importance of fostering solid father-child relationships and enhancing children's psychological resilience as critical strategies for reducing excessive screen time. By addressing emotional support and resilience-building, interventions can more effectively promote healthier behavioral outcomes in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Background Method Results Conclusion Implications Joining efforts to reveal how fathers affect their children's social competence, we examined whether fathers' rejection sensitivity was associated with biases in their children's social information processing. We also explored whether this link was indirect via biases in fathers' social information processing of their children's peer interactions and, in particular, fathers' behavioral responses.Children's social information processing biases predict their social competence and well‐being. Studies have explored how mothers' rejection sensitivity may impact children's social information processing. Yet, little is known about the role of fathers in this context.Participants were 85 fathers living in Israel (68.24% Jewish; 31.76% Arab) and their kindergarten children (55.29% female; MChild age in months = 68.70, SD = 5.59). Fathers completed the Adult Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire and reported their attributions, emotions, and likely behaviors in ambiguous hypothetical scenarios that might suggest a rejection of their child by peers using the Peer Rejection Scenarios measure. Children were interviewed using the Social Information Processing Interview–Preschool Version, tapping hypothetical peer interactions.Fathers' rejection sensitivity was indirectly related to children's generation of maladaptive responses to ambiguous peer interactions through fathers' reports of their more negative emotions and overinvolved behavioral responses.Results underscore the role of fathers' rejection sensitivity and emotional and behavioral responses in children's social information processing.The study points to the need to consider paternal rejection sensitivity in research and interventions focused on promoting children's social competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYNOPSISObjective. In fatherhood research, a large gap has emerged between correlation-based studies and the design of interventions to increase the quantity and quality of fathers’ involvement in their families. The correlational research suggests that all family members could benefit from fatherhood intervention designs that attempt to reduce risks and strengthen protective conditions in multiple family domains—an approach consistent with family systems theories and ecological theories of child development. But most fatherhood interventions have been designed solely for fathers and focus primarily on parenting. Even in rare instances in which both parents are included in a father-focused parenting intervention, the curriculum rarely attends to the quality of relationship between the co-parents, despite the fact that this relationship is a prime correlate and predictor of father involvement and father-child relationship quality. Design. This narrative review describes the current gap between multidimensional correlational studies of fathers and families and the restricted designs of most father involvement interventions. We describe a family systems ecological intervention approach to bringing the correlational and intervention streams of fatherhood research closer together. Results. Evidence from empirical studies of correlations between risk/protective factors and outcomes supports a family systems ecological model of five domains relevant for inclusion in fatherhood intervention curricula and measurement protocols. Evaluations of interventions based on these five domains show that when both parents participate, the interventions have greater impact than interventions directed only to fathers. Fathering is not simply behavior that occurs between a father and his child. In addition to the quality of his direct interaction with his child, fathering is a dynamic product of his well-being, the quality of the relationship between the co-parents, the transmission of behavioral patterns across generations, and the balance between outside-the-family stressors and the supports available to cope with them. Conclusions. This family systems ecological approach has implications for theory testing, future intervention research, and policy decisions about fatherhood services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the important role fathers play in the lives of their children, social workers report that they do not feel prepared to work with fathers. It is ethically imperative that social workers are equipped to effectively serve diverse groups of fathers in practice, especially those who are marginalized within society. Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) courses provide an optimal opportunity for the incorporation of fatherhood content in social work education. Based on reflections on our own teaching experiences, research expertise, and existing literature, we recommend father-specific content for inclusion in HBSE courses. We also draw on person-in-environment and intersectionality to describe the lived experiences of specific marginalized father groups. Finally, we provide Council on Social Work Education competency-based course objectives and assignments that can be used by social work educators to incorporate fatherhood content in their respective HBSE courses, along with strategies that social work students can apply in their work with the father groups highlighted in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between parent–child relationships and adolescents' non-cognitive skills, while also investigating the mediating effect of social anxiety and number of friends. A survey was conducted with 773 students, ranging from grade 4 to 9, in five public schools of Guangdong Province of China (49.9% male), with a mean age of 12.20 years old. Latent mediation structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that (1) the father–child relationship and mother–child relationship both had a positive influence on grit, innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; (2) social anxiety had a negative effect on adolescent non-cognitive skills including innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; (3) the number of positive friends was found to be positively associated with the development of non-cognitive skills in adolescents, whereas the presence of negative friends correlated negatively with grit but positively with innovation; (4) social anxiety emerged as a significant mediating variable between parent–child relationships and adolescents' non-cognitive skills, including innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; and (5) the mediating effect of the number of positive friends on the relationship between parent–child relationships and grit, innovation, conscientiousness, and hope was also found to be significant. Educational programs and family interventions should take these factors into account, providing a more holistic approach to supporting adolescent growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting is influenced by family relationships, however, very little research has investigated how the relationships fathers have with their own fathers shape fathers' parenting attitudes and engagement. Intergenerational relationships are particularly relevant among families with strong intergenerational solidarity and interdependence, such as Mexican-origin families. The results based on data from 85 Mexican-origin fathers show more positive parenting attitudes and engagement among fathers reporting high-quality relationships with their fathers at the time of the study, but these associations were only found among fathers with sons. The findings highlight the importance of considering intergenerational pathways to strengthen father-child relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationship between parent resilience, couple burnout, and misogyny of fathers with disabled children, while also investigating the mediating effect of parent resilience on the relationship between misogyny and couple burnout. This study included a sample of 120 fathers whose children were attending a special education and rehabilitation center. Couple Burnout Scale Short Form, Misogyny Scale, Family Resilience Scale, and Personal Information Form were used as instruments in the study. The findings revealed a significant relationship between couple burnout and levels of misogyny, as well as a negative relationship between couple burnout and perception of parent resilience. Additionally, a negative relationship was observed between the level of misogyny and parent resilience. Importantly, parent resilience was found to mediate the relationship between level of misogyny and couple burnout, explaining 24.5% of the total variance. Based on these findings, it is recommended to prioritize psychological interventions that strengthen resilience of fathers with disabled children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incongruent perceptions of parental emotional expressivity between parents and adolescents may signify relational challenges, potentially impacting adolescents' socioemotional adjustment. Direct evidence is still lacking and father-adolescent discrepancies are overlooked. This study employed a multi-informant design to investigate whether both mother-adolescent and father-adolescent discrepancies in perceptions of parental expressivity are related to adolescents' mental well-being, specifically focusing on loneliness and depression. Analyzing data from 681 families (mean age of adolescents = 15.5 years old, 51.2% girls, 40% only-children) in China revealed that adolescents tended to perceive paternal and maternal emotional expressivity more negatively than their parents, particularly fathers. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis showed significant links between parent-adolescent congruence and incongruence and adolescent loneliness. (In)Congruence between adolescents and mothers or fathers predicted later adolescent depression, mediated by adolescent loneliness and varied by the dimension of emotional expressivity. These findings provide insights into the roles of mothers' and fathers' emotional expressivity in shaping children's mental well-being during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous literature on paternal involvement emphasizes the influence of fathers' socialization contexts, considering either welfare policies (Hipp and Leuze, 2015) or experiences with their own fathers (Brown et al., 2018; Parke, 1995). In this study, we combine those two branches of research and examine how fathers' and their fathers' (grandfathers') socialization experiences (parental leave regulations in their early adulthood as an example of (de-)familization policies (Lohmann and Zagel, 2016)) predict paternal involvement today. To measure paternal involvement, we create an indicator for involvement that covers Lamb et al. (1985) three aspects of direct interaction, responsibility, and availability and the fact that a father has taken paternal leave for at least one of his children or not. We use the fact that a substantial proportion of the fathers in the German, national survey AID:A 2019 (Kuger et al., 2020) were socialized in another welfare state regime (6.3% of fathers have a direct and another 13.5% have an indirect migration background (their fathers were born in another country) covering birth cohorts from the 1970s to the 1990s; total N = 1053). We then add context-related information on their (fathers' and grandfathers') countries of origin from the OECD family database and estimate an SEM model to test potential direct and indirect effects. We find that more educated fathers who experienced extended parental leave regulations are more involved fathers today. Our results support, thus, that welfare state conditions influence individuals' behaviour while education is a relevant moderator in this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nearly 45% of Australian families intentionally or unintentionally co-sleep, including bedshare. Parents' intentionality to co-sleep can influence their perceptions of sleep quality, family functioning and overall satisfaction. Yet very little is known about fathers' perspectives and experiences of co-sleeping with their children. This mixed-method study aimed to explore paternal co-sleeping intention and its association with perceived sleep quality. Method: Fathers with children who co-slept completed an online survey about their sleep arrangements and intentionality from the Sleep Practices Questionnaire, and their sleep quality from the Sleep Quality Scale. Open-ended responses about intentionality were analysed thematically. Results: One hundred and forty-one fathers were included in the analysis. Quantitative analysis found that fathers' whose children were sleeping where definitely intended had significantly better perceived sleep quality than fathers whose children were sleeping in an unintended location. A thematic analysis provided insight into the reasons for this relationship. Conclusions: This study offers insight into fathers' experiences of co-sleeping including bedsharing, and responsive night-time infant care practices. Paternal night-time involvement in infant care can influence father-infant bonding, maternal and paternal mental health and overall family functioning. The results and their implications for professionals working with fathers during the perinatal period are discussed. Key Points: What is already known about this topic: Co-sleeping (bedsharing and roomsharing) occurs in Australian families, both intentionally and unintentionally. Intentionality to co-sleep can influence a mother's perceptions of sleep quality, satisfaction and family functioning. Little research has examined fathers' role in co-sleeping, including their intentionality. What this topic adds: Shows how fathers' intention to co-sleep is related to their perception of sleep quality. Provides insight into how fathers who intend to co-sleep see the benefits for the child and the family. Provides insight into fathers' experiences of co-sleeping with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daylong recordings provide an ecologically valid option for analyzing language input, and have become a central method for studying child language development. However, the vast majority of this work has been conducted in North America. We harnessed a unique collection of daylong recordings from Slovenian infants (age: 16–30 months, N = 40, 18 girls), and focus our attention on manually annotated measures of parentese (infant‐directed speech with a higher pitch, slower tempo, and exaggerated intonation), conversational turns, infant words, and word combinations. Measures from daylong recordings showed large variation, but were comparable to previous studies with North American samples. Infants heard almost twice as much speech and parentese from mothers compared to fathers, but there were no differences in language input to boys and girls. Positive associations were found between the social‐interactional features of language input (parentese, turn‐taking) and infants' concurrent language production. Measures of child speech from daylong recordings were positively correlated with measures obtained through the Slovenian MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventory. These results support the notion that the social‐interactional features of parental language input are the foundation of infants' language skills, even in an environment where infants spend much of their waking hours in childcare settings, as they do in Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This longitudinal study examined latent profiles of parent–child interaction and their associations with triadic family interaction. Background: A child's development is significantly influenced by early family relationships. Family systems theory emphasizes the interrelations between family subsystems, such as parent–child and parent–parent relationships, as well as the family as a whole. However, few studies have examined the relationship between each parent–child dyad and triadic family interaction. Method: Fathers and mothers were separately videotaped interacting with their child (n = 120) at 4 and 18 months and assessed using the Parent–Child Early Relational Assessment. Triadic family interaction was evaluated at 18 months using the Family Alliance Assessment Scale within a Lausanne Trilogue Play setting. Results: Four latent profiles of parent–child interaction were identified. Dyadic interaction that was characterized by reciprocity, positive affect, and low negativity was associated with higher family coordination. However, interaction characterized by a lack of reciprocity, negativity, and dyadic tension was related to less coordinated triadic family interaction. Conclusions: Well‐functioning parent–child interaction contributes to higher‐quality triadic family interaction. In contrast, challenges in early father–child interaction, including emotional distance, a lack of positive paternal involvement, and limited mutual engagement, are linked to lower‐quality triadic family interaction. Implications: This study highlights the importance of supporting early parent–child relationships to promote well‐functioning and coordinated triadic family interaction, and the inclusion of fathers in interventions aiming to improve family dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study sought to illuminate the barriers service providers experience in delivering healing services to enhance father and child well‐being. Background: Manifestations of structural barriers, such as racism, mother‐centric practices, and disproportionate incarceration among Black and Brown fathers prevail. Little is known, however, about how providers describe barriers they encounter toward engaging fathers in services to equip them with the capacity to coparent effectively. Method: A convenience sample of providers (n = 24) representing a diverse array of child and family service systems responded to questions from a semistructured interview guide. Thematic analyses were conducted to describe how providers engage with fathers and their perceptions of barriers related to their ability to engage them in services. Results: Findings revealed three types of barriers, each representing a separate theme: micro (biases, colorblindness), societal (devaluation of fathers' role), and systemic (racism, mother‐centrism). Strategies to address barriers included implementing strengths‐based practices, creating spaces to engage in reflexivity, and investing in father‐centric programming. Most strategies involved modifying the micro context, conveying that future efforts should focus on developing procedures and policies that will enhance micro practices. Conclusion: This study captured the experiences of change agents and healers working with fathers and families. Their experiences illuminate obstacles they must contend with at the micro, societal, and systemic levels of practice. Implications: Providers indicated that fathers will not benefit from services unless organizations embrace father‐centric, strength‐based healing practices and allocate space to engage in reflexivity about biases and the impact of systemic racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Father involvement, defined in terms of both the quantity and quality of ways in which fathers may be involved, affects the child’s development. How specifically father involvement links to emotion regulation during early childhood (0–5 years) is, however, less clear. Methods This literature review synthesizes research on the links between father involvement and emotion regulation during early childhood, as well as the measurement methods used to assess them. Ten relevant studies were identified via four databases (up to August 2023). Results Results showed no significant direct links, but significant links appeared between high father involvement and more adaptive emotion regulation when moderated by variables related to the assessment of father involvement and emotion regulation, as well as the characteristics of the father and the child. Conclusions Future research should continue to use observational measures of father behaviors and child emotion regulation, increase the use of physiological measures of emotion regulation, and consider the influence of maternal and family variables.

During pregnancy and the early parenting period, women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), with devastating impacts on women, children, and families. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of father-focused interventions to prevent or reduce IPV during pregnancy and early parenthood. Six databases were searched, using a combination of the concepts "fathers," "pregnancy/early parenthood," "IPV" and "intervention." Articles were double screened by title and abstract, and then full-text. Methodological and reporting quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Fifteen papers were eligible for inclusion; these articles were mostly of poor-to-moderate quality. Only three of the articles reported on interventions in lower- and middle-income countries. The most common forms of IPV addressed in these interventions were physical (10), psychological (8), sexual (4), and economic/financial (3). Of 12 articles reporting on data from both intervention and control groups, only six indicated statistically significant results; among these, only three reported robust analyses showing significantly greater reduction in IPV in intervention than in control groups. All three took place in lower- or middle-income countries. Two were underpinned by theoretical frameworks, which considered transforming traditional perceived gender norms. Therefore, interventions based on principles that address transformation of gender norms show promise but the success of such underlying principles needs to be confirmed, and better-quality evidence and reporting are needed for interventions targeting fathers to prevent or reduce IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]