FATHER-CHILD PLAY DURING THE PRESCHOOL YEARS AND CHILD INTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS: BETWEEN ROBUSTNESS AND VULNERABILITY

Abstract

Play observations with a total of 400 toddlers and preschoolers were videotaped and rated for Intensity and Quality of play with their parents. Parents were asked about perceived stress and personality characteristics (Big 5). Child's motor, cognitive skills, temperament, and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Study 1 investigated the robustness of play across child age and gender, and examined differences between fathers and mothers. Study 2 explored the vulnerability of play with fathers of children born preterm (PT-fathers) and fathers who had experienced adverse childhoods (AC-fathers). Study 3 investigated child internalizing behaviors. Intensity of play was maintained almost independently of child age and gender. It was similar for AC- and PT-fathers, and similar to maternal Intensity. In contrast, paternal Quality of play was higher with boys and independent of fathers' personality and perceived parenting stress whereas maternal Quality of play was higher with girls and linked to mothers' perceived parenting competence, acceptability of the child, and neuroticism. AC-fathers scored significantly low on Quality, as did PT-fathers, but the Quality of their play became better with growing child age, birth weight, and cognitive (but not motor and temperament) scores. Finally, child internalizing behaviors were negatively related to paternal Quality of play.

Keywords: Spielintensität; Spielqualität; Vater-Mutter-Unterscheidung; Väter mit Kindheitsproblemen; calidad del juego; distinción papá-mamá; distinction père-mère; enfants prématurés; father-mother distinction; fathers with childhood adversities; frühgeborene Kinder; intensidad del juego; intensity of play; intensité de jeu; niños prematuros; papás con una niñez adversa; preterm children; pères ayant eu des difficultés durant leur enfance; quality of play; الأطفال المبتسرين-; الفرق بين الأب والأم -; جودة اللعب-; طفولة معاكسة للآباء; كثافة اللعب-; 早期産児; 早產兒; 父母區別; 父親と母親の区別; 經歷童年逆境的父親; 遊びの強さ; 遊びの質; 遊戲強度; 遊戲質量; 過酷な子ども時代を過ごした父親.