International Journal of Human Ecology

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

The Long-term Effects of Father Role Meanings on Men's Psychological Well-being in the U.S.

  • Choi, Sae-Eun (University of Maryland-College Park, Maryland Population Research Center, Faculty Affiliat)
  • Received : 2011.04.04
  • Accepted : 2011.06.10
  • Published : 2011.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study aims to explore the men's perceived meanings attached to the father role and to investigate the relationship between the father role meanings and men's psychological well-being. Using two waves of data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) across 5 years, this study estimated the influences of the father role meanings at T1 on psychological well-being of fathers at T2 with hierarchical Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression models. Findings showed that the majority of fathers felt the father roles interesting, appreciated, sociable, and well-done. However, stepfathers reported significantly more negative meanings of the father role than fathers having biological children. Positive role meanings attached to the father role in terms of interesting and well-done were Significantly associated with men's psychological well-being. Although this study has some limitations by using the secondary survey data (NSFH), this study has an advantage in exploring the association between fatherhood experiences and men's psychological well-being from men's own perspectives. Also, this study has strength in a sense that long-term effects of the father role meanings were investigated and empirically provide findings in consistent with role identity.

Keywords

References

  1. Amato, P. R. (1994). Father-child relations, mother-child relations, and offspring psychological well-being in early adulthood. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56(4), 1031-1042. https://doi.org/10.2307/353611
  2. Aquilino, W.S. (1994). Impact of childhood family disruption on young adults' relationships with parents. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56,(2), 295-313. https://doi.org/10.2307/353101
  3. Belson, W. A. (1986). Validity in Survey Research. Gower Publishing Company. England.
  4. Burke, P. J. (1991). Identity processes and social stress. American Sociological Review, 56(6), 836-849. https://doi.org/10.2307/2096259
  5. Coley, R. L., & Morris, J. E. (2002). Comparing father and mother reports of father involvement among low-income minority families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 982-997. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.00982.x
  6. Coltrane, S., & Ishij-Kuntz, M. (1992). Men's housework: A life course perspective. Journal of Marriage and Family, 54(1), 43-57. https://doi.org/10.2307/353274
  7. Daniels, P., & Weingarten, K. (1982). Sooner or later. New York: Norton.
  8. Eggebeen, D. J. & Knoester, C. (2001). Does fatherhood matter for men? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63(2), 382-393.
  9. Erikson, E. (1982). The Life Cycle Completed: A Review. New York: Norton.
  10. Fine, M. A., & Fine, D. R. (1992). Recent changes in laws affecting stepfamilies: Suggestions for legal reform. Family Relations, 41(3), 334-340. https://doi.org/10.2307/585200
  11. Flouri, E. (2005). Fathering and Child Outcomes. Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons.
  12. Hernandez, D. C, & Coley, R. L. (2007). Measuring father involvement within low-income families: Who is a reliable and valid reporter? Parenting: Science and Practice, 7(1), 69-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295190709336777
  13. Heuvel, A. V. (1988). The timing of parenthood and intergenerational relations. Journal of Marriage and Family, 50(2), 483-491. https://doi.org/10.2307/352013
  14. Ihinger-Tallman, M., Pasley, K., & Buehler, C. (1995). Developing a middle-range theory of father involvement postdivorce. In Marsiglio (Ed.), Fatherhood: Contemporary Theory, Research, and Social Policy (pp.57-77). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication
  15. Lamb, M. E. (2004). The Role of the Father in Child Development (4th Edition). NY : John Wiley & Sons.
  16. Palkovitz, R. (2002). Involved Fathering and Men's Adult Development: Provisional Balances. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  17. Pasley, K., & Braver, S. L. (2004). Measuring father involvement in divorced, nonresident fathers. In R. Day & M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Conceptualizing and measuring father involvement (pp. 217-240). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  18. Pleck, J., & Masciadrelli, B. P. (2004). Paternal involvement by U.S. residential fathers: Levels, sources, and consequences. In M. E. Lamb. (Ed.), The Role of the Father in Child Development, (pp. 222-271). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.
  19. Pleck, J. H, & Stueve, J. L. (2004). A narrative approach to paternal identity: The importance of parental identity 'conjointness'. In R. D., Day, M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Conceptualizing and Measuring Father Involvement (pp. 83-107). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, NJ: Mahwah.
  20. Reitzes, D. C., & Mutran, E. J. (1994). Multiple roles and identities: Factors influencing self-esteem among middle-aged working men and women. Social Psychology Quarterly, 57(4), 313-325. https://doi.org/10.2307/2787158
  21. Schuman, H. & Presser, S. (1996). Questions and Answers in Attitude Surveys. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage
  22. Simon, R. W. (1992) Parental role strains, salience of parental identity and gender difference in psychological distress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 33(1), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136855
  23. Snarey, J. & Pleck, J. H. (1993). Midlife consequences of paternal generativity for fathers themselves. In J. Snarey, How Fathers Care for the Next Generation: A Four-decade Study (pp.84-119). MA: Harvard University Press
  24. Stryker, S. (2002). Symbolic Interactionism (reprint of the first edition). NJ: The Blackburn Press
  25. Stryker, S., & Burke, P (2000). The past, present and future of an identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63(4), 284-297. https://doi.org/10.2307/2695840
  26. Thoits, P. A. (1983). Multiple identities and psychological health: A reformulation and test of the social isolation hypothesis. American Sociological Review, 48, 174-187. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095103
  27. Thoits, P. A. (1992). Identity structures and psychological well-being: Gender and marital status comparisons. Social Psychology Quarterly, 55(3), 236-256. https://doi.org/10.2307/2786794
  28. Thoits, P. A. (1995). Identity-relevant events and psychological symptoms: A cautionary tale. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36(1), 72-82. https://doi.org/10.2307/2137288
  29. Umberson, D. (1989). Relationships with children: Explaining parents' psychological well-being. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52(4), 999-1012.
  30. Umberson, D. (1992). Relationships between adult children and their parents: Psychological consequences for both generations, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54(3), 664-674.
  31. Umberson, D., & Gove, W. R. (1989). Parenthood and psychological well-being. Journal of Family Issues, 10(4), 440-462. https://doi.org/10.1177/019251389010004002
  32. Williams, J. (2000). Unbending gender: Why work and family conflict and what to do about it. NY: Oxford University Press.