Fathers Role

• Fathers Role-

  Attachments to the father are 75% of babies formed attachments with fathers by 18 months (Schaffer and Emerson 1964) since they were upset when fathers walked away.

  • 3% father was the first attachment.
  • 27% joint first with the mother.
• Fathers Role-

  Grossmann et al (2002) –

  •  longitudinal study of children into their teens.
  • Quality of attachment with mother was related to adolescence – not father.
  • Quality of father's play was related to adolescence – fathers have the role of stimulation and play less to do with emotional development.
• Fathers Role-

  Field (1978)-

  • Fathers can be the primary care giver as they can adopt the emotional role that’s typically the mothers.
  • 4-month babies face -to-face with PCG mothers, PCG and SCG fathers.
  • PCG’s smiled and held (reciprocity) the baby more than SCG.
  • Proving fathers can be emotional-focused primary attachment figures with the responses for a close emotional attachment.
• Fathers Role-§

  CPS- Families adapt if they aren’t ‘typical’ with a mother and father, making the role of the father clear.

  CPW- McCallum and Golombok – single mothers and lesbian couples have successful children, suggesting that the father's role isn’t essential.
• Fathers Role-

  S- Can be used to offer advice to parents- helping them see what roles they can take and that it won't affect the child, of if the family isn’t ‘typical’ the child will still be fine since the PCG and father role can be filled.

  W- Lack of clarity of what it means for the father to be the PCG – fathers behave differently and can’t take the ‘maternal’ role.