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Feldman JS, Wilson MN, Shaw DS. Paternal Activation as a Protective Factor against Problem Behaviors in Early Childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024:10.1007/s10802-024-01179-9. [PMID: 38386233 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01179-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Activation parenting includes behaviors that challenge children to approach novel situations, explore their environments, and take physical and socioemotional risks through a balance of encouragement and limit-setting. Although components of activation parenting have been linked to lower levels of children's problem behaviors, comprehensive measures of activation parenting and longitudinal research on families from low socioeconomic backgrounds are lacking. The goal of the present study was to test associations between paternal activation parenting at age 3 and children's externalizing and internalizing problems at age 5 in a sample of low-income, ethnically diverse fathers. Participating fathers (N = 171; 9% Black, 47% white, 8% Latinx; mean household income = $25,145) and their children (51% female) were drawn from the Early Steps Multisite Study. Activation parenting during a teaching task at child age 3 was associated with lower levels of internalizing problems at age 5 and decreases in externalizing problems from baseline (age 2). Implications of the current findings are presented for future research on associations between activation parenting and child problem behaviors, including the potential for the development of prevention and intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia S Feldman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| | - Melvin N Wilson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daniel S Shaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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Freeman EE, Robinson EL. The Relationship between Father–Child Rough-and-Tumble Play and Children’s Working Memory. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9070962. [PMID: 35883947 PMCID: PMC9315721 DOI: 10.3390/children9070962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Rough-and-tumble play (RTP) between fathers and children has been linked to many social, emotional, and behavioural child outcomes, such as reduced aggression and increased self-regulation. This study extends our understanding of the importance of RTP to the development of the executive function, working memory. Father–child dyads (N = 30) were asked to play two RTP games that were videorecorded for later observational coding. Fathers were also asked to report the frequency with which they play RTP games with their child. Two measures of working memory were also collected. The working-memory index of the Wechsler Preschool and the Primary Scale of Intelligence—Fourth Edition were used to measure working-memory ability, and the working-memory subscale of the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function was used as a measure of working-memory problems. RTP frequency was associated with improved working-memory ability and fewer working-memory problems. RTP quality was associated with higher working-memory ability. This study adds to the growing evidence of the importance of father–child RTP for child development.
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Feldman JS, Shaw DS, Nordahl KB, Backer‐Grøndahl A, Nærde A. Stable, longitudinal relations between early paternal supportive parenting and preschool‐age children's self‐regulation. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia S. Feldman
- Department of Psychology University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | | | | | | | - Ane Nærde
- The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development Oslo Norway
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Waldman‐Levi A. Differences in how mothers and fathers support children playfulness. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amiya Waldman‐Levi
- Department of Occupational Therapy Long Island University‐Brooklyn Campus New York New York USA
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Feldman JS, Shaw DS. The Premise and Promise of Activation Parenting for Fathers: A Review and Integration of Extant Literature. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2021; 24:414-449. [PMID: 34059958 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-021-00351-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although research on fathers tends to focus on mother-derived conceptualizations of caregiving, such as sensitivity, it has been theorized that fathers play a unique role in opening their children to the world by encouraging exploration and risk-taking. However, extant research on these forms of paternal caregiving is scattered across multiple related but distinct domains, namely rough-and-tumble play, challenging parenting behavior, and the activation relationship. Based on the overlap in theory and operationalizations of these domains, the present review aimed to define and operationalize a new caregiving construct: activation parenting (AP). Fathers who exhibit frequent and high-quality AP behaviors encourage children to take risks, challenge children physically and socioemotionally, and set appropriate limits during stimulating interactions to ensure safety and prevent over-arousal. Using Belsky's (1984) process of parenting model as a foundation, associations between paternal AP and characteristics of the father, his environment, and his child are reviewed, with a focus on early childhood (i.e., ages 0-5 years). The present review found some support for paternal AP occurring more frequently, but not necessarily with higher quality, when fathers had children older than one years old. Unexpectedly, the frequency and quality of paternal AP did not differ much by paternal age or indicators of socioeconomic status, or by child age or gender. In line with underlying theories, higher quality paternal AP in early childhood has been found to be associated with children's self-regulation skills and lower levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. Limitations of the current paternal AP literature are discussed and future directions for research, policy, and clinical work are proposed.
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Robinson EL, StGeorge J, Freeman EE. A Systematic Review of Father-Child Play Interactions and the Impacts on Child Development. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 8:389. [PMID: 34068176 PMCID: PMC8153002 DOI: 10.3390/children8050389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Father-child play engagement has been linked to a variety of child developmental outcomes. However, the most prevalent types of play and child developmental outcomes utilised in research remains unclear. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on father-child play interactions and the association with child developmental outcomes for children aged 0-10 years. Database searches generated 1622 abstracts that matched the specified search criteria. Abstract screening and full-text review resulted in 39 included publications. The systematic review revealed that while some paternal play behaviours resulted in different impacts across play types, others reported similar impacts. The findings of this review have implications for potential interventions and parenting resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer StGeorge
- School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
| | - Emily Elsa Freeman
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
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Anderson S, StGeorge J, Roggman LA. Measuring the Quality of Early Father–Child Rough and Tumble Play: Tools for Practice and Research. CHILD & YOUTH CARE FORUM 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10566-019-09513-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Neale D, Clackson K, Georgieva S, Dedetas H, Scarpate M, Wass S, Leong V. Toward a Neuroscientific Understanding of Play: A Dimensional Coding Framework for Analyzing Infant-Adult Play Patterns. Front Psychol 2018; 9:273. [PMID: 29618994 PMCID: PMC5871690 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Play during early life is a ubiquitous activity, and an individual’s propensity for play is positively related to cognitive development and emotional well-being. Play behavior (which may be solitary or shared with a social partner) is diverse and multi-faceted. A challenge for current research is to converge on a common definition and measurement system for play – whether examined at a behavioral, cognitive or neurological level. Combining these different approaches in a multimodal analysis could yield significant advances in understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms of play, and provide the basis for developing biologically grounded play models. However, there is currently no integrated framework for conducting a multimodal analysis of play that spans brain, cognition and behavior. The proposed coding framework uses grounded and observable behaviors along three dimensions (sensorimotor, cognitive and socio-emotional), to compute inferences about playful behavior in a social context, and related social interactional states. Here, we illustrate the sensitivity and utility of the proposed coding framework using two contrasting dyadic corpora (N = 5) of mother-infant object-oriented interactions during experimental conditions that were either non-conducive (Condition 1) or conducive (Condition 2) to the emergence of playful behavior. We find that the framework accurately identifies the modal form of social interaction as being either non-playful (Condition 1) or playful (Condition 2), and further provides useful insights about differences in the quality of social interaction and temporal synchronicity within the dyad. It is intended that this fine-grained coding of play behavior will be easily assimilated with, and inform, future analysis of neural data that is also collected during adult–infant play. In conclusion, here, we present a novel framework for analyzing the continuous time-evolution of adult–infant play patterns, underpinned by biologically informed state coding along sensorimotor, cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions. We expect that the proposed framework will have wide utility amongst researchers wishing to employ an integrated, multimodal approach to the study of play, and lead toward a greater understanding of the neuroscientific basis of play. It may also yield insights into a new biologically grounded taxonomy of play interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave Neale
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Kaili Clackson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stanimira Georgieva
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hatice Dedetas
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Scarpate
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Wass
- Division of Psychology, University of East London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria Leong
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Baptista J, Sousa D, Soares I, Martins C. Fathers’ sensitive guidance moderates the association between coparenting and behavioral regulation in preschoolers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/0165025418761816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the links between paternal sensitive guidance, coparenting, and child behavioral regulation. It also aimed to assess whether paternal sensitive behaviors moderate the putative relationship between cooperative coparenting and child regulatory abilities. The sample comprised 70 preschoolers and their fathers. Behavioral regulation was assessed using the Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders task. For the assessment of paternal sensitive guidance, dyads were videotaped during a picture-book reading task. Fathers reported coparenting cooperation. Results revealed that coparenting predicted behavioral regulation, even after accounting for verbal ability and parental education. No significant links emerged between fathers’ sensitive guidance and regulatory skills. However, the interaction of coparenting and paternal sensitive behaviors predicted behavioral regulation: a lower score on cooperative coparenting was linked to more regulatory difficulties, when coupled with lower levels of paternal sensitive guidance. Intervention programs, designed to promote child self-regulation, should be focused on strategies aimed to improve both the cooperation between parents and the quality of individual parenting. Efforts should be made to include fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Baptista
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Diana Sousa
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Isabel Soares
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carla Martins
- Psychology Research Center (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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