The conceptual model introduced in Figure 1 graphically presents the theoretical
constructs, or latent variables, of communication, connection,
father-child relation-
ship quality, and child well-being. In this hypothetical model, the arrows between the
latent variables indicate the anticipated direction of effects. Each of the latent exoge-
nous variables,
communication and connection, has a proposed directional relation-
ship to father-child relationship quality. The effects of these exogenous variables on
child well-being are conceptualized in the model as being mediated through the latent
construct of father-child relationship quality, so that a direct
relationship is proposed
between father-child relationship quality and child well-being.
We also suggest that gender of the child may be a significant influence on the
relationships between these concepts in the model. Thus, relationships between the
four latent variables are also split by gender and explored in the study through a
multi-sample analysis. This multi-sample analysis allows us to test interaction
effects where some of the linkages may be stronger for
father-son dyads than for
father-daughter dyads.
The hypotheses we propose are as follows:
•
Fathers and adolescent children who have higher levels of communication will
also have higher expressed levels of father-child relationship quality.
•
Fathers and adolescent children who have higher levels of connection will have
higher expressed levels of father-child relationship quality.
•
Adolescent children who have higher expressed levels of father-child relation-
ship quality will have higher levels of child well-being.
•
Higher levels of positive communication will have a greater association with
higher levels of father-child relationship quality
for male children than for
female children.
•
Higher levels of connection will have a greater association with higher levels of
father-child relationship quality for male children than for female children.
METHODS
S
AMPLE
The sample was selected from the National Survey of Families and Households
(NSFH) in Wave 1, 1987-88 (Sweet, Bumpass, & Call, 1988). This is a national
probability sample of more than 13,000 households. A primary respondent for each
household could be an adult male or female. Fathers selected for the subsample used
in this study were men who were the primary respondents
from married couple
households and living with at least one biological child between the ages of 0 and
18. Each child selected for inclusion in the sample was a biological child of the pri-
mary respondent. Also, the sample was limited to focal children between the ages of
12 and 18. This restriction was necessary because the NSFH instruments did not ask
appropriate questions for children outside this age range. The NSFH staff identified
a focal child for each household based on the child’s age and
the first letter in his or
her first name. Differentiation of children by gender into two groups was used for
the multi-sample analysis.
B
ROTHERSON
et al.
196
The NSFH data set is one of the few readily available that includes a sufficient
number of fathers and adolescent children to examine the hypotheses of this study. It
also includes measures that relate directly to the study’s research questions.
Research on paternal involvement suggests that fathers on average showed minimal
increases in involvement over the last two decades (Pleck, 1997). It is therefore
likely that these data from 1987-88 approximate
current patterns and, with trends
toward increased father involvement, may have even greater relevance than when
originally gathered.
Our subsample includes 362 married fathers living with at least one biological
child between 12 and 18 who was selected as a focal child.
In the multi-sample
analysis the sample size for male children was 184 and for female children was 178.
M
EASURES
The advantages of a nationally representative sample are important, but they come at
a necessary price in that we were limited to measures that were included in the
NSFH questionnaires.
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