EFFECTS OF FATHERS’ AND MOTHERS’ COGNITIVE STIMULATION AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME ON TODDLERS’ COGNITION: VARIATIONS BY FAMILY STRUCTURE AND CHILD RISK

Abstract

We used resource theory and stress theory to examine the associations among fathers’ and mothers’ engagement of children, household income, and the cognitive abilities of toddlers residing in single mother households and two parent households. This study used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (N = 8,400) and found that at 24 months, the positive association between fathers’ cognitive stimulation and child cognition was significantly stronger for children living in single mother households at 9 and 24 months than for children in two parent households. The effect of fathers’ cognitive stimulation on child cognition was also significantly stronger for high risk children living in single mother households than for high risk children living with both parents.