Kids with Dad do Better - New Study
Friday, 22 July 2011
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Photo: Tim Coulson (http://www.timcoulson.blogspot.com/) used with permission |
The new issue of Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement (vol. 43, #3, July) includes a study:
"Fathers' Influence on Children's Cognitive and Behavioural Functioning: A Longitudinal Study of Canadian Families."
The authors are Erin Pougnet , Lisa A. Serbin, Dale M. Stack, and Alex E. Schwartzman.
One type of family that is becoming increasingly common in North America is the family headed by a single mother. In 2006, approximately 13% of Canadian families and 22% of families in Québec included biological fathers who lived apart from their children (Statistics Canada, 2007a).
In general, studies outside of Canada have demonstrated that fathers' presence in their children's homes and parenting are positively associated with children's cognitive outcomes across time, even after controlling for various demographic and socioeconomic factors (for review, see Allen & Daly, 2002).
The majority of the recent fathering research has been conducted with preschool-aged children. For example, a study conducted in the United States by Ryan, Martin, and Brooks-Gunn (2006) found that children who lived with two highly supportive parents at 2-years-old had higher cognitive and language development at 3 years of age than children who lived with one or no supportive parents after controlling for socio-economic statuts.
Studies conducted with the older offspring of absent fathers have supported these findings. For example, a study conducted in the United States indicated that children whose fathers lived with them full-time had higher scores on reading and math tests than children whose fathers did not live with them (Teachman, Day, Paasch, Carver, & Call, 1998).
Moreover, paternal parenting has been shown to be positively associated with children's cognitive outcomes for different age groups (Bronte-Tinkew, Carrano, Horowitz, & Kinukawa, 2008; Fagan & Iglesias, 1999). For example, one study found that fathers' supportiveness when children were 2-years-old was associated with children's intellectual functioning scores at 2- and 3-years-old (Cabrera, Shannon, &; Tamis-LeMonda, 2007). Another study found that paternal warmth when children were 12-years-old was a predictor of school achievement two years later; this remained true after controlling for the effect of maternal warmth (Chen, Liu, & Li, 2000).
In general, research has indicated that children who experience fathers' absence from the home at various points during childhood are more likely than other children to display internalizing problems, such as sadness, social withdrawal, and anxiety, as well as externalizing problems, such as aggression, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (Amato & Gilbreth, 1999; Carlson, 2006; Demuth &; Brown, 2004).
One study that was conducted in the United States found that children with absent fathers displayed more antisocial behaviour than children whose fathers were present in their home, even after controlling for the effects of paternal antisocial behaviour, socio-economic status, and presence of stepfathers (Pfiffner, McBurnett, & Rathouz, 2001).
Results
Overall, the results from this study indicated that fathers' presence in middle childhood predicted cognitive and behavioural outcomes later on in development.
This was illustrated utilizing a prospective methodology with a culturally and linguistically distinct longitudinal sample of socioeconomically at-risk families, and after accounting for such potentially confounding factors as annual family income, the quality of the home environment, parental educational attainment, and couple conflict.
The results indicated that for girls only, fathers' presence in middle childhood predicted fewer internalizing problems in preadolescence.
For both boys and girls, fathers' positive parental control predicted higher Performance IQ and fewer internalizing problems over six years later.
These findings add to the increasing body of literature suggesting that fathers make important contributions to their children's cognitive and behavioural functioning, and point to the benefits of developing policies that encourage fathers to spend time with their children (i.e., parental leave for men) and promote positive fathering and involvement through parenting courses.
2 comments:
Having read a substantial amount on the matter, and having read this article before, appreciating the quality of the study, I worry that such research doesn't qualify that not all dad's are equal and that the presence of some is actually the cause of children's dysfunction and unhappiness, and indeed trauma. I also worry about the other factors that compromise children's well being in a non-fathered household, such as increased poverty and exposure to unsafe neighbourhoods - that could equally be rectified by social resource allocation as they could by the "breadwinner" model income. My concern is that articles like this are often used to support and sustain "father's movements", which are responsible for family law changes which have seen the compromise of children's safety over the provision of a "dad". Many father's group movements have a basis in traditional male dominant modelling and subservient female and child modelling. My point though is basic, not all dad's are created equal ... and father presence should not be generalised to mean that any father being present is a good idea ... or that any father improves child wellbeing.
Hi Anon...
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. In principle, I completely agree and think you make your points very well.
What we are seeing on a consistent basis in research on this topic points to the need for kids to have their dad. And so long as the 'dad' is present and 'causes no harm', kids do better.
But you're right. Dads are not created equal - and nor are mums etc etc. Ultimately, though, kids do have a right to a dad who treats them with love and respect and kindness. If only they could all have that right satisfied...
(And I agree that dad's rights are less important than kid's rights - especially when the safety of the child is at stake.)
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