Sofia I. Cardenas, Alyssa R. Morris, Narcis Marshall, Elizabeth C. Aviv, Magdalena Martínez García, Pia Sellery, Darby E. Saxbe
{"title":"Fathers matter from the start: The role of expectant fathers in child development","authors":"Sofia I. Cardenas, Alyssa R. Morris, Narcis Marshall, Elizabeth C. Aviv, Magdalena Martínez García, Pia Sellery, Darby E. Saxbe","doi":"10.1111/cdep.12436","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Extensive research has established that fathers’ engagement in parenting benefits children, but few studies have described how fathers contribute to child development even before birth. In this article, we consider both direct and indirect pathways through which expectant fathers shape child development during the prenatal period. Regarding direct pathways, we review work on expectant fathers’ contributions to child development through genetic and epigenetic processes, as well as neuroendocrine mechanisms. Regarding indirect pathways, we outline ways in which expectant fathers indirectly influence child development through the couple relationship. In so doing, we seek to provide a foundation from which to formulate future lines of inquiry on the role of expectant fathers in child development. This research can inform clinical interventions and policies geared toward improving the early caregiving environment and child development.</p>","PeriodicalId":150,"journal":{"name":"Child Development Perspectives","volume":"16 1","pages":"54-59"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1000,"publicationDate":"2021-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"10","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Child Development Perspectives","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdep.12436","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 10
Abstract
Extensive research has established that fathers’ engagement in parenting benefits children, but few studies have described how fathers contribute to child development even before birth. In this article, we consider both direct and indirect pathways through which expectant fathers shape child development during the prenatal period. Regarding direct pathways, we review work on expectant fathers’ contributions to child development through genetic and epigenetic processes, as well as neuroendocrine mechanisms. Regarding indirect pathways, we outline ways in which expectant fathers indirectly influence child development through the couple relationship. In so doing, we seek to provide a foundation from which to formulate future lines of inquiry on the role of expectant fathers in child development. This research can inform clinical interventions and policies geared toward improving the early caregiving environment and child development.
期刊介绍:
Child Development Perspectives" mission is to provide accessible, synthetic reports that summarize emerging trends or conclusions within various domains of developmental research, and to encourage multidisciplinary and international dialogue on a variety of topics in the developmental sciences. Articles in the journal will include reviews, commentary, and groups of papers on a targeted issue. Manuscripts presenting new empirical data are not appropriate for this journal. Articles will be obtained through two sources: author-initiated submissions and invited articles or commentary. Potential contributors who have ideas about a set of three or four papers written from very different perspectives may contact the editor with their ideas for feedback.