Should a mum be worried about a stressed father? Flashcards
Statement
You shouldn’t be worried about work hours alone, it is only when role overload and stress is considered. So, you should ensure that your husband isn’t very stressed with the child. Relationships with fathers are problematic when fathers work long hours and feel overload. As well as this, involvement is always good and promotes lots of things - so should try and get him as involved as possible
Point 1
Work hours alone don’t matter - it is only when role overload is considered
It is fine to not spend that much time with father
Maternal work hours are more important for the relationship than paternal work hours - Bianchi et al, 2006
Point 1 - evidence 1
Cox et al 1992
Looked at couples and first born, IV’s assessed at 3 months via interviews and parent-child free play observation
DV assessed by strange situation at 12-13 months
Time with infant is a negative correlation for infant-father security - the more time they spend with them, the less secure they are (-.28)
longitudinal study of development - looked at both mothers and fathers in the strange situation
Point 1 - evidence 2
Crouter et al 2004
Long work hours and high overload was associated with less positive father-adolescent relationships - when the work is stressful, they engage in more conflict with their offspring
fathers were seen as less accepting
Found an interaction effect
have data from 2 siblings, obtained perspectives on lots of people: husbands, wives and children
Longitudinal
Point 2
Stress and hostility is bad
Point 2 - evidence 1
Roeters et al 2010
Longer work hours and less engagement were associated with less parent child time. Longer working hours, more restrictive organisational norms, and stress increased disturbance of parent-child relationships
Used a big age range 4-18
1008 fathers and 929 mothers
Point 2 - evidence 2
Byrd-Craven et al 2012
Those who reported father–daughter relationships characterized by rejection, chaos, and coercion had higher pretask cortisol levels, had elevated cortisol in response to problem discussion with a friend this means they were more stressed. The ones who had father-daughter relationships which included warmth, autonomy and support had lower cortisol levels
added to daughter stress levels
objective measure looking at HPA axis an the autonomic nervous system
Point 2 - evidence 3
Wheeler et al 2015
Paternal work pressure was indirectly linked to adolescence adjustment – shows that work conditions have important implications for adolescent’s adjustment
Point 2 - evidence 4
Giallo 2013
The relationship between fathers’ postnatal distress and children outcomes was mediated by parenting hostility (angry and frustrated)
longitidunal study
mediation - looked at lots of variables
Point 3
However, involvement is always good, so it is important that the father gets involved when he isn’t working and doesn’t get too stressed
Point 3 - evidence 1
Dubowitz et al 2001
Father presence was associated with better cognitive development and greater perceived competence by the children. Involvement and support from the father meant the child had stronger sense of social competence and less depressive symptoms – support the value of fathers’ presence to their children’s functioning
cross sectional study - so can’t see it over time. But point below is longitudinal
Point 3 - evidence 2
Flouri and Buchanan 2003
Father involvement at age 7 protected against psychological maladjustment in adolescence and father involvement at age 16 protected against adult psychological distress in women
controlled for mother involvement and other confounds
longitudinal data
Conclusion
You shouldn’t be worried about long work hours alone, but if your husband is stressed and doesn’t spend much time with your child then problems may occur. Advise you to ensure that he isn’t stressed around your child
Point 1 - evidence 3
Grossman, Pollack and Golding, 1988
Predicted dads quantity and quality of fathering from fathers characteristics and mothers characteristics
Followed from pregnancy till age 5
For quantity, wives scores more important than husbands own characteristics - women seem to be gatekeepers
For quality, husbands scores most important
Longitidunal