The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts
Scientific Meeting of theEuropean Science Foundation (ESF)
European Child Cohort Network (EUCCONET)
University of Vienna, 24th of Feb. 2010
The Role of Fathers in Child CohortsScientific Meeting of the
European Science Foundation (ESF)European Child Cohort Network (EUCCONET)
University of Vienna, 24th of Feb. 2010
Welcome
Prof. Dr. Germain Weber,Dean of the Faculty of Psychology /University of Vienna
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Slide 3 (of 19)
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Introduction
• coffee, juice, mineral, snacks etc. to take – as long as supplies last;
• lunch (~ 12:15): together at the mensa (few minutes from here);you get vouchers;
• dinner (~ 19:45): together at the “Cafe Landtmann”;
• WLAN: ("eduroam" and "u:connect" ) – UserID: euccone1; password: esf2010
Organizational Matters:
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Slide 4 (of 19)
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
• Should the biological father or the everyday-caring father be taken into account ?
• How should fathers be included in the studies?
• How should cohort studies deal with a couple’s break-up, new unions and non-resident fathers, etc.?
Some questions:
• define specific problems connected with the role of fathers in child cohorts;
• discuss possible solutions;
• share and consider experiences and knowledge on how to handle these questions in praxis;
• create a scientific community working in the specific field of the role of fathers in child cohorts;
Aims:
• systematic reports from relevant cohort studies;
Methods:
Substantive agenda
Divorce rate / Austria 1951 – 2008 (Statistik Austria, 2009)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 5 (of 19)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Slide 6 (of 19)
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Family Development in the Course of Life (FIL) – About the role of fathers
University of Vienna, Faculty of PsychologyDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Psychological Assessment
•since 1990•intercultural project (South-Korea, USA, Germany – East/West, Austria) about
the•transition to parenthood
3 mo. b. b. 3 mo. a. b. 3 yrs. a. b. 8 yrs. a. b. 11 yrs. a. b. 15 yrs. a. b.
child -164
(94 %)117b
(67 %) [71 %]c
143d
(82 %) [125 %]144d
(82 %) [101 %]137b
(78 %) [95 %]
mother 175(100 %)a
168(96 %)
152(87 %) [90 %]
137(78 %) [90 %]
135(77 %) [99 %]
131(75 %) [97 %]
father 175(100 %)
167(95 %)
147(84 %) [88 %]
124(71 %) [84 %]
120(69 %) [97 %]
119(68 %) [99 %]
a in round brackets: percentages in relation to 3 months before child’s birth (175 = 100 %);b 3 of these 114 cases are twins (117 at all);c in brackets: percentages in relation to 3 months after child’s birth;d 2 of these 143 cases are twins (145 at all).
Participation rates
Slide 7 (of 19)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Instruments
Slide 8 (of 19)
Mothers and Fathers:
• Parental Role Questionnaire (Nickel, Grant & Vetter, 1990) / t1-t6;
• Partnership Questionnaire (PFB; Hahlweg, 1979) / t1-t6;
• Questionnaires comprising socioeconomic variables, parental division of
labour, childrearing practices, pleasure in activities undertaken with the
child, strain caused by the child, the importance of family versus work life
etc. / t1-t6;
• Temperament Questionnaire (adapted from Thomas & Chess, 1977) about
the child’s temperament /t2-t6
etc.
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 9 (of 19)
Children:
• Wechsler-Intelligence-Scale for Children (Translation: HAWIK-III; Tewes, Schallberger & Rossmann, 2000) / t4
• Effort Avoidance Test (Rollett & Bartram, 1998) / t4-t6;
• Personality Questionnaire (newly constructed) / t4-t6;
• NEO-FFI (adapted from Borkenau‘s & Ostendorf‘s Questionnaire, 1993) / t5-t6;
• Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (adapted from Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) / t5-t6
• Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA; Reifman, Arnett & Colwell, 2003) / t6;
• Occupational Interests Test (Irle & Allehof, 1988) / t6;
• Leisure Behavior Questionnaire (newly constructed) / t6;
• Future Questionnaire for Adolescents (adapted from Oser, Horn & Maiello, 2000) / t6;
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 10 (of 19)
Sample (t6):
Age: men: M = 46.8 years (SD = 4.5) (women: M = 44.3, SD = 4.0);
Highest Education: 51% high school/university-level (women: 44%)
Household-Income: 50% more than 3300,- € per month;
Divorce rate: 22%
Number of Children:1 child: 14%, 2 children: 33%, 3: 37%, 4: 13%, 5: 4%;
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 11 (of 19)
Scale Sample items
Burden of responsibility (12 items; α = .71)
To take responsibility for a child is oppressive.
Traditional division of roles(14 items; α = .86)
I think rather a mother than a father should be a role-model for a daughter .
Traditional women’s role(7 items; α = .66)
I think it is bad for the child’s development, if the mother has a profession.
Value of children(9 items; α = .83)
Through my children I experience what is really important.
Scales of the Parental Role Questionnaire / fathers, t1 [1]
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 12 (of 19)
Scale Sample items
Value of the family (8 items; α = .84)
A partnership without children is missing the crucial thing.
Pater familias(8 items; α = .77)
It is important for my parents to become grandparents.
Equality(4 items; α = .66)
When the father is at home, he should take care of the children to relieve his wife.
Children as a burden(13 items; α = .78)
If you have children, you will nearly have no leisure time for your own.
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Scales of the Parental Role Questionnaire / fathers, t1 [2]
Slide 13 (of 19)
Clusters of fathers (according to the scores in the Parental Roles Quest., t1)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 14 (of 19)
1 = I completely disagree2 = I rather disagree3 = I rather agree4 = I completely agree
Development of paternal attitudes (t1 – t6)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 15 (of 19)
Development of the scale “Equality” in younger and older fathers**
1 = I completely disagree2 = I rather disagree3 = I rather agree4 = I completely agree
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Slide 16 (of 19)
Posit. affectivity
Neg. affectivity
Irritability
Rhythmicity
Intensity ofreaction
Temperamentwith 3 months
-.72
.59
-.54
.71
.84
Angerproneness
Sociability Adaptability Introversion
Temperamentwith 3 years
Communication(mothers, t3)
Tenderness(mothers, t3)
.48.41
.66
-.23
.65 -.83 .53-.56
Conflict behavior(fathers, t4)
-.25 Sociability
Aggreeableness
Anger proneness
Adaptability
Effortful control
Openness
Temperamentwith 8 years
-.31
-.31
-.22
.24
.87
.60
.58
.54
-.73
.61
Interaction effects between temperament development and parental partnership / t2 t3 t4
Slide 17 (of 19)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Some conclusions and assumptions
• there are interactions effects between different paternal aspects and child development, e.g. temperament or personality;
• besides there are indirect effects of fathers, such as the significance of the parental partnership for the child development;
• to have data also of the fathers, e.g. about their attitudes and partnership, is important 1) for understanding family dynamics and 2) for effective prevention measures;
• fathers’ and mothers’ perspectives, views, assessment etc. of their children often differ a lot; without fathers’ data you only get incomplete impressions;
• we still know too less about the role of the fathers;
Slide 18 (of 19)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Thank you for your attention.
Slide 19 (of 19)
The Role of Fathers in Child Cohorts. Scientific Meeting of the European Science Foundation / Vienna, 2010-02-24
Harald WerneckUniv. of Vienna
Liebiggasse 5/1A-1010 WienTel.: +43 1/4277 478-62Fax: +43 1/4277 478-69e-mail: [email protected]: http://homepage.univie.ac.at/harald.werneck