Family Support, Work Characteristics and Gender Role Conformity As Predictors of Engaged Fathering during Infancy: The Mediating Role of Fathers’ Life Satisfaction

Introduction: Evidence shows that involved fathering has a critical contribution to infants’ development. Therefore, examining the predictors of involved fathering during infancy and related mechanisms are essential to foster fathers’ positive engagement with their children. Previous studies showed that perceived support, long working hours, and conforming with traditional gender roles are associated with fathers’ decreased caregiving behaviors and closeness with their children. Using Ecological Systems Theory, the current study aims to investigate the effect of perceived support from the immediate environment, working environment characteristics, and endorsing traditional cultural norms on paternal engagement through increased life satisfaction of fathers, in a sample of fathers with 0-3 years old children.

Method: Using a representative sample of 1090 Turkish fathers with children aged between 0-3, fathers’ perceived support from spouse and family, working hours, use of paternity leave, attitudes towards traditional gender norms, caregiving (feeding, cleaning, following development), warmth (caring about infant’s feelings, showing affection) and use of punishment were measured. Structural equation modeling is used to test direct and indirect effects. Bias-corrected confidence intervals are estimated using 1000 bootstrapped samples.

Results: Higher perceived family support, better working conditions, and non-conformity to traditional gender roles are expected to be associated with increased life satisfaction in fathers and in turn, increased life satisfaction is expected to be linked with greater engagement in child care, increased warmth, and decreased use of harsh discipline.

Conclusions: The current study offers a unique perspective by establishing predictors of involved fathering during infancy and introducing fathers’ satisfaction with life as an explanatory variable in the relationship between environmental factors and parenting behaviors. Implications of findings for policy and practice will be discussed.