African-American Fathers: Their Role in Children's Social and Cognitive Development

Low-income, African-American fathers were examined regarding their involvement, job satisfaction, sensitivity, parenting attitudes, and gender role attitudes in relation to their children's social and cognitive development. Fathers completed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1969); the Parental Attitudes Toward Childrearing Questionnaire (Easterbrooks & Goldberg, 1984); the Parent Attitude Research Scale (Bartz & Levine, 1978); and the Bern Inventory (Bern, 1974). Sensitivity was measured by videotaping fathers and children in a free play session. Videotaped interactions were scored according to the CARE-Index procedure (Crittenden, 1988). The children were administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1969) or the McCarthy Scales of Children's Development (McCarthy, 1972) to assess cognitive development. To determine the children's social development the mothers' were administered the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Sparrow, Balla, & Ciccetti, 1984). Fathers who reported strict parenting attitudes had children with lower communication, self-help, and social development scores at .05 level of significance, and lower motor and cognitive scores at the .10 level of significance. Fathers that were unemployed had children with lower motor development scores at the .05 level of significance and lower communication and self-help scores at the .10 level of significance. Fathers lack of participation in daily care activities was related to lower motor scores at the .10 level of significance. Fathers that were satisfied with their jobs had children with higher communication scores at the .05 level of significance, and higher motor and self-help scores at the .10 level of significance. Sensitivity in behavioral interactions was related to higher motor development scores at .05 significance and higher communication scores at the .10 level of significance. A less traditional sex-role attitude was related to higher self-help scores, and communication scores at the .10 level of significance. Findings are discussed in relation to the culture and environment in which low-income fathers and their children live.