Are uninvolved fathers really incompetent and unsatisfied? Testing the mediator role of father involvement from fathers' perspectives

Pekel-Uludagli N.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, vol.16, no.5, pp.538-551, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 16 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/17405629.2018.1472077
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.538-551
  • Keywords: Father involvement, maternal gatekeeping, gate-opening, parenting competence, marital satisfaction, GENDER-ROLE ATTITUDES, PATERNAL INVOLVEMENT, CHILD-CARE, FAMILY, PARENTHOOD, QUALITY, MOTHERS, MODEL, GATEKEEPERS, AUSTRALIA
  • Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between fathers' involvement and maternal gatekeeping, gate-opening, and traditional paternal gender roles, as well as to evaluate fathers' involvement as a mediating role in the relationship between maternal gate-opening, gatekeeping, traditional paternal gender roles, paternal competence, and marital satisfaction. Turkish fathers (N = 239) with a child aged 2-6 years were included in the study. They assessed maternal gatekeeping and gate-opening, their traditional gender roles, parenting competence, and marital satisfaction. Results indicated that fathers' involvement is positively related to maternal gate-opening and negatively associated with traditional paternal gender roles; in addition, fathers' involvement has a mediatory role between maternal gate-opening, traditional paternal gender roles and paternal competence and marital satisfaction. The results suggest that fathers who are involved in their children's lives are more competent and have higher marital satisfaction.