Perceptions of maternal and paternal attachment security in middle childhood: links with positive parental affection and psychosocial adjustment

Abstract

This study aimed at determining whether paternal parenting behaviours (attachment and positive affection) added significant information on children’s psychosocial adjustment beyond that provided by maternal reports. Five hundred and fifty‐two children (fourth through sixth graders) from a non‐clinical sample completed a brief measure of perceived attachment security to their mother and father. Parents and teachers of the children filled out the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which covers behavioural problems (i.e. emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems) and prosocial behaviour. Parents also reported on their positive affection towards their child. For the full sample, emotional symptoms, peer problems and prosocial behaviour could be predicted from the parenting measures. Paternal factors added to the variance explained in all models in which significance was found and outweighed maternal factors in predicting emotional symptoms for the total sample as well as for girls.

Keywords:

• attachment
• fathers
• positive parental affection
• psychosocial adjustment

Acknowledgements

Preparation of this paper was supported by grants from the Fund for Scientific Research – Flanders, Belgium and the Research Fund of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.