Comparisons of levels and predictors of mothers' and fathers' engagement with their preschool-aged children

Abstract

Self-report data from 112 two-parent families were used to compare levels and predictors of four types of mothers' and fathers' engagement with their preschool-aged children: socialisation, didactic, caregiving, and physical play. Mothers were more involved than fathers in socialisation, didactic, and caregiving, whereas fathers were more involved than mothers in physical play. Mothers' greatest engagement was in caregiving, whereas fathers were about equally engaged in didactic, caregiving, and physical play. Mothers who contributed more to family income were less engaged in socialisation and caregiving, whereas fathers with non-traditional beliefs about their roles were more engaged in didactic and caregiving. Children with greater temperamental effortful control received more didactic and physical play engagement from mothers. Fathers were more likely to engage in socialisation activities with earlier-born children, whereas mothers were more likely to engage in socialisation with girls high in effortful control. Mothers were more likely to engage in physical play with boys and with later-born children.

Keywords:

• father engagement
• mother engagement
• child temperament
• child gender
• birth order
• caregiving
• physical play

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by an NICHD grant (R03 HD050235) to the first author. We express our gratitude to the parents and children who participated in this study and the students who assisted with data collection, especially Catherine Buckley.