Examining the FatherChild Relationship Intact vs Not Intact

Examining the Father-Child Relationship: Intact vs. Not Intact Families and Child Outcomes of Academic Performance, Conduct, and Self-Esteem Ashley Recker Hanover College Hanover, IN

Intact vs. Not Intact n Intact families: Biological father and biological mother either living together or married. n Not intact families: Biological father and biological mother are either divorced, separated, or the biological father/other male influence is nonexistent.

Parenting Styles n Parenting styles are normal variations in the ways in which parents socialize and control their children. Responsiveness Demandingness Low High Low Authoritative Authoritarian Permissive Uninvolved (Baumrind, 1991; Shaffer, 1999)

Responsiveness and Affect n The amount of support and affection a parent displays towards their child. (Shaffer, 1999) n Associated with predicting social competence and psychosocial development. (Darling, 1999) n When not responsive: children tend to associate with deviant peers and show greater levels of externalizing behaviors. (Kim, Hethering, & Reiss, 1999)

n Hostile and neglectful parenting styles are associated with aggression, deviant behaviors, and adjustment problems. n Warm and responsive parenting styles predict social competence and cooperative behavior. (Chen, Liu, & Li, 2000)

The Difference between Mother and Father Roles Mothers usually take on custodial/routine caregiving roles (e. g. , feeding and cleaning). n Fathers tend to engage in more social stimulation and interactive activities (e. g. , play and helping with homework). n (Jain, Belsky & Crnic, 1996; Yeung, et al. , 2001)

Benefits of the Father n Father availability and involvement is associated with academic success as well as socio-emotional and cognitive wellbeing/gains in schoolage children. (Howard, & Lefever, et al. , 2006)

n More frequent and regular contact with the father is associated with more intense relationships and fewer adjustment problems in children. (Dunn, Cheng, O’Connor, & Bridges, 2004)

So, why is the father-child relationship important? n Since 1960, the number of births to unmarried mothers has increased 6 times. n Fathers may act as a buffer to children whose mothers are high risk. (Howard, Lefever, Borkowski, & Whitman, 2006)

n Even in intact families, the level of father-child engagement decreases with age. n A father’s earnings have a negative effect on their level of involvement with their children during the week. n On weekends this effect is positive. (Yeung & Sandberg, et al. , 2001)

Research Question Does family status (intact or not intact) effect child outcomes in the areas of academic performance, conduct, and selfesteem?

It is Hypothesized that…. Individuals of intact families will have more positive outcomes than those of not intact families in regards to academic performance, conduct, and self-esteem. n Individuals whose father-child relationship is more negative, regardless of whether or not they come from intact or not intact families, will report more negative outcomes in academic performance, conduct, and self-esteem. n

Method n Participants: n 232 males and females n Online self report questionnaire: n Demographics n Father-Child Relationship n Academic Performance n Self-Esteem n Conduct

Measuring the Father-Child Relationship n Father Autonomy Support – 9 items n Father Involvement – 6 items n Father Warmth – 6 items (The POPS Scale for College Students: Grolnick, Ryan & Deci, 1991) (Cronbach’s Alpha= 0. 919)

Academic Performance, Self-Esteem, & Conduct n Academic performance: n Author created scale n Self-Esteem: n Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) n Conduct: n Self-Report Delinquency

Results n Original number of data entries: n 273 n Deleted: n 19 - Did not complete n 6 - Replicated n 16 - Age (under 18) n Final number of participants: n 232

Demographics n Family Status: n 62% Intact n 38% Not Intact n 8% father deceased n 2. 6% step father or other male figure present

Table 1. Demographics Age: 18 -24 25 -34 35 -58 Gender: Male Female Ethnicity: White Afr. Am. Other Intact 68. 1% 24. 3% 7. 6% 31. 0% 69. 0% 74. 3% 9. 0% 15. 4% Not Intact 70. 5% 21. 6% 8. 0% 28. 0% 72. 0% 70. 5% 10. 2% 11. 3%

Table 2. Who Survey is About Intact Biological Father 93. 0% Step Father 0. 0% Sig. Other Male Figure 6. 0% No Male Figure 0. 0% Not Intact 85. 2% 6. 8% 2. 3% 5. 7%

Comparing Family Status and Father-Child Relationships n Father Warmth: t(230)=2. 72, p =. 007 n Intact M= 4. 69, Not Intact M=4. 30 n n Father Autonomy Support: t(230)=2. 13, p =. 03 n Intact M= 4. 37, Not Intact M=4. 10 n n Father Involvement: t(230)=4. 70, p <. 001 n Intact M= 4. 69, Not Intact M=4. 30 n

Family Status and Child Outcomes n Academic Performance: Not significant n Number of times held back n GPA n Highest level of education n Tutoring/Academic Help n Involvement in extracurricular activity

n Conduct: Not significant n Assault n Robbery n Drug Use n Alcohol Use n Disorderly Conduct n Self Esteem: Not significant

Father-Child Relationships and Child Outcomes n Self-esteem: n r= 0. 196, p= 0. 003 n Involvement in extracurricular activity: n r= -0. 169, p= 0. 01

What this means: Family status has no significant impact on child outcomes. n Academic performance n Conduct n Self-esteem n Family status does influence father-child relationships. n Intact families= increased father warmth, father autonomy support, and father involvement. n

The father-child relationship is important regardless of family status n Father-child relationships do influence some child outcomes. n Father Autonomy Support, Involvement, and Warmth all impact: n Involvement in extracurricular activity n Self-esteem

Limitations n It is difficult to classify family status. n E. g. Married but not living together, Married/living under the same roof but father deceased. n Measures of the Father-Child relationship are perceived by the child. n Study does not include young children. n Family status may play a greater role in younger years when parents are the main support system.

Future Research n Age Children vs. Adults n Young Adults vs. Older Adults n Include ratings by parents for involvement, warmth, autonomy support. n If possible, include teacher ratings for conduct and academic performance. n Continue to explore the impact of the father-child relationship in regards to family status. n

References Baumrind, D. (1991). The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance use. Journal of Early Adolescence, 11(1), 56 -95. Chen, X. , Liu, M. , & Li, D. , (2000). Parental warmth, control, and indulgence and their relations to adjustment in Chinese children: A longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology, 14(3), 401 -419. Darling, N. , (1999). Parenting Style and Its Correlates. Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Dunn, J. Cheng, H. , O’Connor, T. , & Bridges, L. (2004). Children’s perspectives on their relationships with their nonresident fathers: Influences, outcomes and implications. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (3), 553 -566. Elliot, D. & Ageton, S. (1980). Reconciling race and class differences in self-reported and official estimates of delinquency. American Sociological Review, 45 , 95 -110. Grolnick, W. , Ryan, M. , & Deci, E. (1991). Inner resources for school achievement: Motivational mediators of children’s perceptions of their parents. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83(4), 508 -517. Howard, K. , Lefever, J. , Borkowski, J. , & Whitman, T. (2006). Father’s influence in the lives of children with adolescent mothers. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(3), 468 -476. Kim, J. , Hetherington, M. , & Reiss, D. (1999). Associations among family relationships, antisocial peers, and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors: Gender and family type differences. Child Development, 70(5), 1209 -1230. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Shaffer, D. (1999). Developmental Psychology, Childhood and Adolescence (5 th ed. ). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Yeung, J. , Sandberg, J. , & Davis-Kean, P. (2001). Children’s time with fathers in intact families. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63(1), 136 -154.

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