Dad’s the word: The importance of the father (and father-figures) in a child’s psychosocial, behavioural and cognitive development at ages 2 and 4.5 years.

Research Projects Using Growing Up Data

Dad’s the word: The importance of the father (and father-figures) in a child’s psychosocial, behavioural and cognitive development at ages 2 and 4.5 years.

Publication Date:

2017

Lead Organisation:

Growing Up in New Zealand

Lead Researcher:

Karen Waldie

Access Type:

Internal

Primary Classification:

Family and Whanau

Secondary Classification:

Psych and Cog

The role of the father in promoting healthy child development is becoming increasingly highlighted among research psychologists. Both the presence and engagement of a father (or father-figure) with regard to child-rearing and play has been shown to influence the offspring’s behaviour, cognition and socioemotional outcomes.

There remains a distinct lack of longitudinal investigations into the nature of this paternal influence. The current set of studies will use Growing Up in NZ data to understand the family (notably fathers) factors and sociodemographic influences that promote and hinder socioemotional, behavioural and cognitive functioning in the Growing Up in NZ cohort.