A model proposal based on ecological systems theory to explain father involvement in adolescence.

The present cross-sectional study attempted to investigate if the relationship between the past involvement of parents' fathers and father involvement is mediated by the variables representing four ecological systems: the exosystem – parents' perceived social support; the mesosystem – fathers' work-family conflict; the microsystem – mothers' gender role attitudes, maternal gatekeeping, and the quality of the spousal relationship; the ontogenic system – paternal competence. The sample consisted of 718 Turkish adolescents aged 10–14 years (M_age = 12.00, SD = 1.20) and their mothers (M_age = 38.60, SD = 5.13) and fathers (M_age = 42.60, SD = 5.18). In this study, we administered three separate measurement batteries covering valid and reliable scales to the participating fathers, mothers, and adolescents. Our analyses revealed that the accepted model demonstrated a good model-data fit [p <.001, χ²/df = 2.195, GFI =.94, AGFI =.93, NFI =.96, NNFI =.98, CFI =.98, IFI =.98, SRMR =.047, and RMSEA =.041 (90% CI for RMSEA = 0.036; 0.046)] and that the indirect effects were all statistically significant. Accordingly, we concluded that the exosystem, mesosystem, microsystem, and ontogenic system variables were found to be significant mediators of the relationship between the past involvement of parents' own fathers and father involvement. Moreover, the past involvement of the fathers' own fathers was found to be directly and positively related to father involvement. Besides discussing the results through the existing knowledge, it is believed that catching possible predictors of father involvement will likely guide future intervention programs, as father involvement is highly emphasized for ensuring the well-being of children and other family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]