Publication Type: Individual Poster
Abstract: Background and Aims: Research has suggested that paternal involvement plays an important role in children’s lives (Parke, 1996). Fewer studies, however, have focused on the father-infant attachment relationships (Belsky, 1996). Because different predictors may exist for mother- and father-infant attachment relationships (Owen & Cox, 1997), it is important for researchers to study the different child, parent, and family characteristics that may influence these relationships (Belsky & Isabella, 1988). Because no research has investigated how both parents’ perceptions of the paternal role may influence attachment security, the present study explored these perceptions and their relations to mother- and father-infant attachment. In addition, child temperament and marital quality were also examined as they have been linked to attachment security in previous investigations.

Methods: Results reported here were based on 43 mothers, fathers, and their 1-year-old infants (expected N = 65). Expectant parents individually completed questionnaires about their marital satisfaction (DAS; Spanier, 1976) and the traditional and nontraditional roles of fathers (modified ROFQ; Palkovitz, 1984). The couples’ interaction was also coded for marital quality (Frosch, Mangelsdorf, & McHale, 1998). Parents completed questionnaires about their infants’ temperamental characteristics at 3.5 and 12 months (ICQ; Bates, Freeland, & Lounsbury, 1979). At 12 and 13 months, the Strange Situation (Ainsworth et al., 1978) was performed to assess the infants’ attachment security with mothers and fathers respectively.

Preliminary Results: Two logistic regression models were tested, with mother- and father-infant attachment security (either secure or insecure) as dependent variables, respectively. For each model, the corresponding parent’s working hours were entered in Step 1. Parents’ perceptions of infants’ temperament at 3.5 and 12 months were entered in Step 2. Mothers’ or fathers’ beliefs about the role of fathers were entered in Step 3, and marital quality was entered in Step 4. Both models were significant and accounted for 61% and 59% of variance in mother-infant and father-infant attachment, respectively. Results indicated that infants who were securely attached to their mothers had parents who reported higher levels of marital quality before the child was born (β = -1.87, p < .05), and had mothers who thought their husbands should fulfill the traditional fathering role as breadwinners and disciplinarians (β = -2.19, p = .05). Infants who were securely attached to their fathers were less likely to be rated by both parents as having difficult temperament at 3.5 months (β = .74, p < .05), and had fathers who worked for fewer hours (β = 2.71, p < .05).

Conclusions: These results suggest that predictors for mother- and father-infant attachment relationships may not be the same. Future analyses with the complete sample will further examine the different predictors of these attachment relationships.