A Marginalised Role in Parenting and Maltreatment Risks—A Qualitative Content Analysis of Fathers in Japan Reflecting on their Parenting Experiences

In Japan, many fathers consider their spouse to be their children’s primary parent while casting themselves in a supporting role. Yet, in the majority of reported child maltreatment cases in Japan, the child’s father is recorded as the perpetrator. This may seem somewhat puzzling, given that primary caregivers are recorded as the perpetrator of maltreatment in other cultures. This study qualitatively analyses the parenting experience of 11 Japanese fathers and their reflections on child maltreatment risks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fathers of pre-school aged children from middle-class families who had no reported history of child maltreatment. Using qualitative content analysis through a process of condensing, coding and categorising, we arrived at the following theme: fathers aspire to be an active parent, while respecting and supporting their spouses, but anxiety and stress trigger impatience and frustration during parenting. The fathers reported that they are more likely to maltreat their children, especially boys, in situations which triggered anxiety and frustration. Anxiety is particularly heightened when they feared public embarrassment. These findings are discussed with reference to the Japanese social and cultural context, and contrasted with previous research into the parenting experiences of Japanese mothers. The findings indicate that fathers may benefit from tailored support programmes which strengthen their self-efficacy before building resilience for the challenging situations they may encounter as fathers.