Paternal Involvement and Children’s Behavior Problems.
By Paul R. Amato and Fernando Rivera.

Although a large number of studies have examined associations between paternal involvement and children’s outcomes, most are based on a single source of data or fail to control for maternal involvement. We used data from the National Survey of Families and households (N=994) to test the hypothesis that positive father involvement is associated with fewer behavior problems in children. To avoid same-source bias, we used fathers’ reports of involvement with children and mothers’ reports of children’s behavior problems. To determine if fathers make a unique contribution to their children’s behavior, we controlled for mothers’ reports of maternal involvement. Structural equation models revealed that positive paternal and maternal involvement were independently and significantly associated with children’s behavior problems. Estimated effects were similar for biological fathers, stepfathers, White fathers, Black fathers, and Latino fathers.

Available From:
Journal of Marriage and the Family, (1999), Volume 61, Pages 375-384.

The Anticipation of Single Parenthood: A Profile of Mens’ Concerns.
By Greer Fox Litton and Carol Bruce.

Current demographic patterns indicate that a significant number of children are living apart from their biological fathers, suggesting a structural fragility or vulnerability of men’s connections with their children. In this article, we first explore weather fathers have concern about possible disruptions of their relationships with their children and identify the nature of these concerns. Next, we identify those characteristics that distinguish the fathers with high levels of concern from those who are less concerned. The quality of the marital or partner relationship strongly predicts fathers’ concerns. Fathers who have a history of living apart from their child, and who maintain a high level of involvement with that child, express the least amount of concern. In addition, we find that the salience of the father role predicts concerns but that this effect varies according to the fathers’ current age.

Available From:
Journal of Family Issues, (1999), Volume 20, Pages 485-506.

Self-Regulation and Self Worth of Black Children Reared in Economically Stressed, Rural, Single Mother-Headed Families: The Contribution of Risk and Protective Factors.
By Velma Murry McBride and Gene H. Brody.

Risk and protective factors were examined to identify processes in rural, single-parent, competency and resiliency models. Protective domains promoted greater child self-regulation, with parenting protective factors promoting greater self-regulation than child worth. Results also revealed that protective factors moderate the relationship between risk factors and child outcomes. The association between risk factors and self-regulation was low when protection was high and was significant when protection was low. Furthermore, protective factors seem to insulate boys in high-risk settings more than girls in similar environments. These findings highlight the important role of protective factors in promoting successful development of Black children reared in economically stressed rural, single-parent families and the extent to which protective factors insulate and buffer risk factors that might otherwise compromise these children’s development.

Available From:
Journal of Family Issues, (1999), Volume 20, Pages 458-484.

Low-Income Fathers in an African American Community and the Requirements of Welfare Reform.
By Kevin Roy.

This study examines the impact of state welfare policies on the paternal involvement of low-income single fathers. Life history interviews were conducted with 40 African American fathers participating in a community-based parenting program in Chicago. Men’s rightful claims to fatherhood were constructed through voluntary involvement with their children and enforced paternity establishment. Welfare policies gave precedence to child support and providing and dismissed father’s in-kind caregiving. Policy requirements reflected limited understanding of related caregiving and providing aspects of fatherhood as they vary across race and class. Family welfare policies that prioritize finances over care may curtail paternal involvement altogether; they may also adversely affect the well-being of poor children, who could benefit from the potential commitment of their fathers.

Journal of Family Issues, (1999), Volume 20, Pages, 432-457.

Working Poor Families with Children - A study from Child Trends

A study from Child Trends, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that studies children, youth, and families, explores several key questions about working poor families:

• To what extent does being in a working poor family reduce the likelihood of poverty for a child?
• How common is it for children in poverty to have working parents?
• How are working poor families different from poor families who are not working?
• What characteristics make it more or less likely that a working poor family will leave poverty?
• What characteristics make it more or less likely that parents on welfare will get and keep a job?

Available From:
Download a copy of the report from www.childtrends.org/workingpoor.htm

Length of Maternity Leave and Quality of Mother-Infant Interactions
Roseanne Clark, Janey Shibley Hyde, Marilyn J. Essex, and Marjorie H. Klein. Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The aim of this study was to assess the association between the length of maternity leave and the quality of mother-infant interactions; 198 employed mothers of 4-month-old infants were interviewed and videotaped in their homes during a feeding time. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated a direct association between shorter length of leave and more negative affect and behavior in maternal interactions with their infants. Infant and mother stressor / protective variables added significantly in predicting the quality of the mother-infant relationship. There were also significant interaction effects between the length of leave and these variables. Mothers who either reported more depressive symptoms or who perceived their infant as having a more difficult temperament and who had shorter leaves, compared with mothers who had longer leaves, were observed to express less positive affect, sensitivity, and responsiveness in interactions with their infants. The public policy implications of the relation between length of maternity leave, maternal and infant individual differences, and the quality of mother-infant interactions are discussed.

Available from:
Child Development, April 1997, Volume 68, Number 2, Pages 364-383

Children's Socialization Experiences and Functioning in Single-Mother Households: The Importance of Fathers and Other Men
Rebekah Levine Coley. Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

This research considers the importance of biological fathers and other men for children in unmarried-mother families. One hundred and eleven third- and fourth-grade children reported on the provision by fathers and other men of various social, emotional, and disciplinary experiences. Factor analysis revealed 2 relational dimensions among these social experiences - warmth and control. Results of multivariate regression analyses indicated that fathers’ provision of warmth and control from nonpaternal men predicted fewer teacher-rated behavior problems in school and more prosocial behaviors toward peers. These relations were moderated by children’s gender, race, and maternal marital history. Girls and Black children were more positively affected by relations with fathers and father figures than were boys and White children, and divorced fathers were more influential in children’s’ achievement than never-married fathers. Implications of the finding for social policy and intervention efforts are discussed.

Available from:
Child Development, February 1998, Volume 69, Number 1, Pages 219-230

The Effects of Infant Child Care on Infant-Mother Attachment Security Results of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care
NICHD Early Child Care Research Network

The aims of this investigation were to determine whether Strange Situation attachment classification were equally valid for infants with and without extensive child-care experience in the first ear of early child-care experience, alone or in combination with mother/child factors, was associated with attachment. Participants were 1,153 infants and their mothers at the 10 sites of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Mothers were interviewed, given questionnaires, and observed in play and in the home when their infants were from 1 to 15 months of age; infants were observed in child care at 6 and 15 months and in the Strange Situation at 15 months. Infants with extensive child-care experience did not differ from infants without child care in the distress they exhibited during separations from mother in the Strange Situations or in the confidence with which trained coders assigned them attached classifications. There were no significant main effects of child-care experience (quality, amount, age, of entry, stability, or type of care) on attachment security or avoidance. There were, however, significant main effects of maternal sensitivity and responsiveness. Significant interaction effects revealed that infants were less likely to be secure when low maternal sensitivity/responsiveness was combined with poor quality child care, more than minimal amounts of child care, or more than one care arrangement. In addition, boys experiencing many hours in care and girls in minimal amounts of care were somewhat likely to be attached.

Available From:
Child Development, October 1997, Volume 68, Number 5, Pages 860-879.

Head Start Parents' Beliefs about Their Children's Abilities, Task Values, and Performances on Different Activities
Alice Galper, Allan Wigfield, and Carol Seefeldt

As part of a larger intervention study designed to facilitate the transition of Head Start children into kindergarten and the early elementary grades, we assessed parents' beliefs about former Head Start children's abilities and values in several activity domains-academics, sports, and social skills-during the children's kindergarten year. Parents expectations for their children s future also were examined. One hundred and twenty-four parents and 155 children participated; all children had attended Head Start, and the sample is ethnically and racially diverse. One group of children and parents received the additional services, and a second group did not. Parents were quite optimistic about their children's prospects for the future. There were ethnic differences in parents' beliefs about children's abilities and future prospects in different areas. Parents' beliefs related both to children's attitudes toward school and to their performance on mathematics and reading achievement test.

Available From:
Child Development, October 1997, Volume 68, Number 5, Pages 935-954

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