Father-infant Interaction Patterns As Precursors of Children's Later Externalizing Behavior Problems: a Longitudinal Study over 11 Years

Overview

Journal Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2006 Aug 11

PMID 16900440

Citations 11

Authors

Patricia Trautmann-Villalba

Miriam Gschwendt

Martin H Schmidt

Manfred Laucht

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: This study examined the extent to which fathers' and infants' interaction behavior were related to children's externalizing behavior problems at age 8 and 11 years.

Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study of children at risk for later psychopathology, 72 fathers and their 3-month-old children were videotaped and evaluated during a standardized playing and nursing situation. Externalizing behavior problems at age 8 and 11 years were assessed using Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist.

Results: In the high externalizing group, fathers were found to be less responsive and less sensitive (the latter only with respect to girls) during early interaction than fathers of the low externalizing group, while children were more positive with their fathers. Furthermore, low scores on the interaction pattern of "sensitive fathering/negative infant" and high scores on the "nonresponsive fathering or active infant" pattern were associated with more externalizing problems.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that father and infant interaction behaviors during early infancy may predict later problem behaviors at school age, although the mechanisms underlying this relationship have yet to be identified.

Citing Articles

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Fathers' Sensitivity in Infancy and Externalizing Problems in Middle Childhood: The Role of Coparenting.

Jacobvitz D, Aviles A, Aquino G, Tian Z, Zhang S, Hazen N Front Psychol. 2022; 13:805188.

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The Applicability and Performance of Tools Used to Assess the Father-Offspring Relationship in Relation to Parental Psychopathology and Offspring Outcomes.

Siew J, Iles J, Domoney J, Bristow F, Darwin Z, Sethna V Front Psychiatry. 2021; 11:596857.

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Differences in mother-child and father-child RSA synchrony: Moderation by child self-regulation and dyadic affect.

Lunkenheimer E, Brown K, Fuchs A Dev Psychobiol. 2021; 63(5):1210-1224.

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Mothers' and Fathers' Parenting Stress, Responsiveness, and Child Wellbeing Among Low-Income Families.

Ward K, Lee S Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020; 116.

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