A Longitudinal Study of Fathers' Involvement with Young Children: Infancy to Age 5 Years

A 4-year study was conducted to determine the temporal dynamics of paternal caregiving and play and the effect of maternal employment on these dynamics. The families were studied when the children were infants and again when they were 5 years old. At both times, the fathers were more involved in social interaction than in caregiving. Caregiving was usually provided by the mother, but the child's social interaction was equal for the father and mother. Paternal involvement in caregiving increased over time, whereas social interaction did not. The evidence indicates that maternal employment played a significant role in determining paternal involvement with the child as an infant and as the child grew older. When the child was an infant, the fathers' caregiving was positively related to the mothers' employment. Four years later, the fathers' caregiving and social involvement were positively related to the mothers' employment, and the parents' relative time available for involvement was positively associated with the fathers' participation in child care. The results are discussed in terms of the demand-response capacity hypothesis (Coverman, 1985).