Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.

The differential susceptibility hypothesis suggests that children differ in their susceptibility to the influence of both positive and negative environmental factors. Children with reactive temperaments are hypothesised to be particularly susceptible to environmental influences, both for better and...

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Main Authors: Ramchandani, P, Jzendoorn, M, Bakermans-Kranenburg, M
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2010
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author Ramchandani, P
Jzendoorn, M
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M
author_facet Ramchandani, P
Jzendoorn, M
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M
author_sort Ramchandani, P
collection OXFORD
description The differential susceptibility hypothesis suggests that children differ in their susceptibility to the influence of both positive and negative environmental factors. Children with reactive temperaments are hypothesised to be particularly susceptible to environmental influences, both for better and for worse. The present study sought to investigate whether infant temperament moderates the influence of fathers on child prosocial and problem behaviours. In a large prospective population study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), 5064 children were followed between the ages of six and 81 months (6¾ years). Infant temperament, child behaviours, and fathers' involvement and depression were assessed.Although no overall moderating effect of reactive temperament was found for father involvement or depression, there was an interaction between reactivity, child gender, and father involvement. Girls with reactive temperaments were more susceptible to father involvement, showing significantly fewer problem behaviours and more prosocial behaviours when fathers were more involved, and more problem behaviours and fewer prosocial behaviours with less father involvement. The findings provide some support for the differential susceptibility hypothesis and extend existing findings to include effects of fathers' involvement on positive and negative behavioural outcomes.
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spelling oxford-uuid:83b1e19c-2c4c-4fe6-9d30-01ed9ecbdeb42022-03-26T21:45:57ZDifferential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:83b1e19c-2c4c-4fe6-9d30-01ed9ecbdeb4EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2010Ramchandani, PJzendoorn, MBakermans-Kranenburg, MThe differential susceptibility hypothesis suggests that children differ in their susceptibility to the influence of both positive and negative environmental factors. Children with reactive temperaments are hypothesised to be particularly susceptible to environmental influences, both for better and for worse. The present study sought to investigate whether infant temperament moderates the influence of fathers on child prosocial and problem behaviours. In a large prospective population study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), 5064 children were followed between the ages of six and 81 months (6¾ years). Infant temperament, child behaviours, and fathers' involvement and depression were assessed.Although no overall moderating effect of reactive temperament was found for father involvement or depression, there was an interaction between reactivity, child gender, and father involvement. Girls with reactive temperaments were more susceptible to father involvement, showing significantly fewer problem behaviours and more prosocial behaviours when fathers were more involved, and more problem behaviours and fewer prosocial behaviours with less father involvement. The findings provide some support for the differential susceptibility hypothesis and extend existing findings to include effects of fathers' involvement on positive and negative behavioural outcomes.
spellingShingle Ramchandani, P
Jzendoorn, M
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M
Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title_full Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title_fullStr Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title_full_unstemmed Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title_short Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity.
title_sort differential susceptibility to fathers care and involvement the moderating effect of infant reactivity
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AT jzendoornm differentialsusceptibilitytofatherscareandinvolvementthemoderatingeffectofinfantreactivity
AT bakermanskranenburgm differentialsusceptibilitytofatherscareandinvolvementthemoderatingeffectofinfantreactivity