Father-infant play is influenced by infant temperament and sex

Document Type

Poster

Department

Psychology

Conference Title

West Virginia Academy of Science

Location

Morgantown, WV

Date of Presentation

4-10-2010

Abstract

In general, father-infant play is qualitatively different from mother-infant play. For example, father-infant play is often more physical and less predictable than mother-infant play. Fathers may find high levels of certain temperament traits, such as activity level, adaptability, and intensity, particularly amenable to their active play style. Participants were 373 fathers participating in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Temperament was assessed at 6 months of age using a maternal report measure. Father-infant play was assessed at 6, 15, and 24 months of age using a paternal report measure. Separate multiple regressions were conducted to predict fathers’ play with their infants at each age from ratings of infant temperament. The regression was significant at 15 months, F(5, 372)=2.32, p=.04, R2=.03, but not at 6 or 24 months. At 15 months, fathers reported playing and talking with their infants more if the infants were less intense (β=-.12), more approaching (β=-.17), and less adaptable (β=.18). Repeating analyses separately for fathers of boys and girls indicated that infant temperament and father play were related only for fathers of boys, F(5, 192)=2.76, p=.02, R2=.07. Results suggest that, contrary to expectations that fathers would prefer to play with more intense and adaptable children, fathers interact more with less intense and adaptable infants. Moreover, these results were specific to boys. Observations of fathers’ behaviors when interacting with their non-adaptable and mild boys and girls would allow for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind these findings.

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