Fathers’ emotional experiences while parenting toddlers: a qualitative exploration

Kerr, Margaret; Fanning, Kerrie A.; Engbretson, Ashleigh M.; Buttitta, Katherine V.; Borelli, Jessica L.; Smiley, Patricia A.; Rasmussen, Hannah F.

doi:10.1080/03004430.2021.1960517

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The comparison of MPD levels across two time points reveals an increase in MPD during the pandemic compared to the pre‐pandemic period. This finding is consistent with the many reports examining mothers during the pandemic (e.g., Adams et al, 2021; Kerr et al, 2022). Going beyond existing studies in Western society, we have gained a nuanced understanding of the associations between MPD and maternal rejection in a non‐Western cultural context and during a difficult transitional period.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Many studies have indicated that MPD has increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (Adams et al, 2021;Eales et al, 2021;Kerr et al, 2022;Marchetti et al, 2020;Spinelli et al, 2020). However, recent findings show that some mothers are less affected by the negative consequences of the pandemic, and they have a more developed sense of parenting (Bastain et al, 2022;Xiao, 2024).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The imposition of stay‐at‐home orders during the pandemic further intensified these responsibilities, especially for mothers. Along with added responsibilities, disrupted home routines, and pandemic‐related uncertainties, mothers' daily stress levels likely escalated, potentially leading to increased MPD and negative parent–child relationships during the pandemic (Adams et al, 2021; Kerr et al, 2022; Marchetti et al, 2020; Spinelli et al, 2020). For example, a recent study examining the antecedents of parenting‐style changes during the pandemic with 1,787 Turkish mothers of preschool children confirmed that mothers with more depressive symptoms reported less warmth and more punitive parenting (Corapci et al, 2023).…”

Section: Covid‐19 Impact On Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Role of pandemic‐related experiences and maternal psychological distress in maternal rejection

İplikçi,

İlgün,

Memisoglu‐Sanli

et al. 2023

Family Relations

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ObjectiveThe current study focuses on the indirect link between mothers' COVID‐19 pandemic‐related experiences of home chaos, pandemic‐related anxiety, social support, and perceived maternal rejection through maternal psychological distress (MPD).BackgroundThe COVID‐19 pandemic had striking effects on families, and parents with school‐aged children were especially considered more at risk. Yet, the growing research documented negative and positive outcomes for the parent–child relationship.MethodIn this two‐wave study, data were collected before (January–February 2020) and during the pandemic (November–December 2020) from 318 Turkish mothers (Mage = 37.13, SD = 5.67) with predominantly low educational attainment and children in Grades 1 to 11 (Mage = 11.57, SD = 3.05). MPD and perceived maternal rejection were measured before and during the pandemic. Maternal pandemic‐related anxiety, mothers' perceived social support, and chaos in the home environment were measured only during the pandemic. Structural equation modeling was used for analysis.ResultsAfter pre‐pandemic MPD and perceived maternal rejection were controlled, MPD was positively associated with rejection during the pandemic. Pandemic‐related anxiety and home chaos, but not social support, predicted maternal rejection through MPD.ConclusionMothers' COVID‐19–related experiences were related to increased MPD, which also predicted increased maternal rejection as perceived by children.ImplicationsThe results should be considered in developing programs for mothers facing stressful circumstances. In particular, we recommend programs that promote equal role division in the family, which could support maternal well‐being, alleviate MPD, and improve the mother–child relationship.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Covid‐19 Impact On Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Role of pandemic‐related experiences and maternal psychological distress in maternal rejection

İplikçi,

İlgün,

Memisoglu‐Sanli

et al. 2023

Family Relations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Boruch et al, 2009;Fives et al, 2013;Ritter & Maynard, 2008;Shadish et al, 2002). In line with results presented in Borelli, Kerr et al (2022), prior to the inclusion of indirect effects, there was no effect of treatment condition on RF (b = .16, SD = .20, p = .20, 95% CI [−.26, .53]), and Latina ethnicity was associated with lower RF (b = −.63, SD = .21, p < .001, 95% CI [−.98, −.24]).…”

Section: Descriptive Statistics and Correlationssupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In other studies emerging from this dataset, we have used the ecological momentary assessment gathered from the baseline assessment of this study to examine mothers’ emotion and its association with the presence/absence of the child (Kerr et al., 2019, 2020), with maternal attachment style (Kerr et al., 2019; Kerr, Rasmussen, Smiley, Fanning, 2021; Somers et al., 2019) and with emotion regulation (Park et al., 2022). Further, among the subset of participants who had stable romantic partnerships, we conducted a qualitative assessment of fathers’ emotional experiences (Kerr, Fanning, et al., 2022), an examination of fathers’ RF and its association with parenting behavior (Buttitta et al., 2019), and an evaluation of coparenting dynamics (Kerr, Rasmussen, Smiley, Fanning, et al., 2021). Finally, using the baseline sample of mothers, we evaluated the association between self‐reported RF and children's emotion regulation (Borelli et al., 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Savoring interventions for mothers of young children: Mechanisms linking relational savoring and personal savoring to reflective functioning

Borelli

Kazmierski

Gaskin

et al. 2023

Infant Mental Health Journal

Self Cite

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Parenting interventions can improve parenting outcomes, with widespread implications for children's developmental trajectories. Relational savoring (RS) is a brief attachment-based intervention with high potential for dissemination.Here we examine data from a recent intervention trial in order to isolate the mechanisms by which savoring predicts reflective functioning (RF) at treatment follow-up through an examination of the content of savoring sessions (specificity, positivity, connectedness, safe haven/secure base, self-focus, child-focus). Mothers (N = 147, M age = 30.84 years, SD age = 5.13; Race: 67.3% White/Caucasian, 12.9% other or declined to state; 10.9% biracial/multiracial, 5.4% Asian, 1.4% Native American/Alaska Native, 2.0% Black/African American; Ethnicity: 41.5% Latina) of toddlers (M age = 20.96 months, SD age = 2.50; 53.5% female) were randomized to four sessions of RS or personal savoring (PS). Both RS and PS predicted higher RF, but through different means. RS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater connectedness and specificity of savoring content, while PS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater self-focus in savoring content. We discuss the implications of these findings for treatment development and for our understanding of the emotional experience of mothers of toddlers.

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Low‐income fathers are emotionally resilient: A qualitative exploration of paternal emotions across early parenting

Lee,

Chang

et al. 2024

Infant Mental Health Journal: Infancy and Early Childhood

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Emotions play an important role in fostering positive parenting and healthy child development. This qualitative study explored the affective experiences of racially diverse US fathers with low income across the prenatal, postnatal, and early childhood periods. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 24 fathers. Interview questions asked about fathers’ early parenting experiences that elicit parenting emotions of different valence. Results from thematic analysis demonstrated activation of multiple emotions depending on different proximal and distal experiences. Specific to proximal experiences, fathers reported feeling both excited and anxious about pregnancy and joyful and disappointed at childbirth. Related to distal experiences, fathers reported feeling encouraged by their social support networks that further aid their parenting, but feeling marginalized given systematic barriers (e.g., societal bias, high incarceration rates of Black fathers). Most importantly, fathers’ parenting emotions, especially negative ones, led to them resolving to stay involved in their children's lives, gaining a sense of responsibility, and changing behaviors to do right by their children. Fathers resorted to various coping strategies to regulate their negative emotions. Overall, fathers with low income are emotionally resilient. Infant and early childhood health professionals should support fathers' mental health to promote father‐child engagement and thus, ultimately, young children's mental health and wellbeing.

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Fathers’ emotional experiences while parenting toddlers: a qualitative exploration

Cited by 8 publications

References 40 publications

Role of pandemic‐related experiences and maternal psychological distress in maternal rejection

Role of pandemic‐related experiences and maternal psychological distress in maternal rejection

Savoring interventions for mothers of young children: Mechanisms linking relational savoring and personal savoring to reflective functioning

Low‐income fathers are emotionally resilient: A qualitative exploration of paternal emotions across early parenting

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