 |
|
|
|||||
|
|
June 3, 2004 Connection in Father-Child Relationships Influences Child Well-Being Children growing up with only one parent is increasingly common today. However, children that are deprived of a parent’s involvement may be at risk for problems such as drug misuse, delinquency and depression. Research done by a North Dakota State University professor suggests that a father figure’s involvement is important for healthy child outcomes. According to Sean Brotherson, NDSU Extension family science specialist, the quality of a father-child relationship affects an adolescent child’s well-being for both sons and daughters. The study focused on the link between a father’s involvement, relationship quality and child outcomes. The quality of the relationship is a significant factor in the father’s influence on children. “School-aged and adolescent children show better academic achievement and school behavior, a positive self-esteem and healthy personality adjustment when the relationship with the father is positive,” Brotherson says. The National Survey of Families and Households, which is a nationally representative data set of families in the United States provided the data. A sample of 362 married fathers that are the primary household providers and living with at least one biological child between 12 and 18 were used. The study examined a father-child relationship depending on four variables: father-child connection, father-child communication, father-child relationship quality and a child’s well-being. According to Brotherson, communication and connection can serve as direct causes of relationship quality, and quality directly influences the child’s well-being. The strongest finding in the study was that the level of connection between fathers and their children has a significant and positive impact on overall relationship quality. According to Brotherson, fathers build this connection through interaction in the context of leisure activities, work or play activities and educational activities. “Men feel close to their children when they are doing things together that are fun, engaging, or focused on learning,” Brotherson says. “This research shows that connecting with children through such activities has a very significant and measurable impact on the quality of the relationship for both sons and daughters.” Communication between the father and child was measured by parent-child conversation, praise of children and non-verbal communication. The study results showed little relationship between communication and relationship quality, but according to Brotherson, this does not mean communication is unimportant. “It seems likely that communication between fathers and their teenage children occurs primarily in participating in shared activities,” says Brotherson. “You talk when you are playing ball together or over cleaning up the dishes or working on a homework project. So, that is where it becomes important.” Child well-being was measured by the father’s evaluation of child global well-being and the child’s well-being in more specific areas. Brotherson suggests the value of this study was that it mapped specific patterns of behavior that fathers engage in that affect relationship quality and also child outcomes. Relationship quality of fathers and children were shown to have a direct and positive influence on increasing a child’s well-being. “Instead of relying on rhetoric, this finding provides substantive evidence that fathers have an important and measurable impact on the well-being of their adolescent children, “ Brotherson says. “The research is valuable because it provides some understanding of how fathers influence adolescent children and their well-being, and also suggests dimensions of the relationship that may be important,” Brotherson says. “The results can be used in family relationships, as well as in educational or clinical contexts. For example, fathers and father figures could benefit by focusing on doing activities with children that promote healthy connection through involvement in shared activities of mutual interest. The important thing is to promote opportunities that would allow fathers to connect more in their children’s lives.” According to Brotherson it is not the mere presence but the connection the father has that is pivotal. “It is important to recognize that strong connections can have beneficial effects, but the opposite is also true. It proves that fathers really do matter.” This study was published in Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice About Men as Fathers. ### Source:
Sean Brotherson, (701) 231-6143, sbrother@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
|
North Dakota State University |
