Abstract:
This study investigated relationships between child characteristics (child ordinal status, receptive language skills, child temperament, and observed and father perceptions of child behaviour) and father engagement in early and middle childhood. The sample comprised eighty-three families who participated in a three-year study that began when the boys were four years old. At both time points, child temperament was assessed through The Child Behavior Questionnaire, which assessed children’s activity level, anger and child effortful control. Child behaviour was assessed through observations at Time 1 in free play and structured tasks. In addition, receptive language skills were measured at Time 1 using the British Picture Vocabulary Scale. Fathers’ perceptions of their sons at Time 1 were assessed through interviews, which asked fathers to report on the ease of raising their son. At Time 2, fathers’ perceptions were assessed by asking detailed questions about their son’s personality and what was he like to live with. Father-son engagement at Time 1 (early childhood) and Time 2 (middle childhood) was assessed through semi-structured interviews where fathers were asked to report on the nature and frequency of father-son activities. Father-son conversations were measured at Time 2 only. Findings indicate that at Time 1 child behaviour (negative affect toward the father and extent of child-father engagement during free-play observations), and being perceived as easy to raise were associated with father-son engagement at Time 1. In middle childhood, fathers who made more frequent positive comments about their sons were more likely to engage with their sons in a range of activities. Longitudinal analyses revealed that boys who showed greater negative affect towards their fathers during free play in early childhood were significantly less likely to have conversations about school related conversations with their fathers in middle childhood. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research, and directions for future research are suggested.