Father involvement: Effects of experiences from the family of origin and quality of relations within family of procreation

Abstract

The research presented in this paper aimed to describe effects from the two domains of possible determinants of father involvement: experiences with father in the family of origin and current relations creating context of developing fathering role (marital and co-parenting relations). The sample consisted of 247 fathers from the families with preschool aged children from Vojvodina. The fathers gave information on self-assessed involvement in child-care, as well as on experiences regarding father-child relations in family of origin, quality of marital relations and parenting alliance. Father’s attachment style was also assessed. The results indicate multiple determination of father involvement, with observed direct effects of contextual determinants. Father’s experiences from his own childhood, have both direct effects on his involvement in child care, and indirect- by creating basis for better marital and co- parental relations.