Diane Dubeau

Prevalence of Father-Child Rough-and-Tumble Play and Physical Aggression in Preschool Children.

Three samples of francophone subjects from Quebec (Canada) are used to establish the prevalence of parent-child RTP according to different personal, social and family variables, and to verify if children who engage in more RTP with their father exhibit less physical aggression towards other children and are more competitive without resorting to aggression. Our results showed that 24 to 43% of fathers engaged in RTP with their children on a daily basis, and only 4 to 16% of fathers never do. Moreover, personal characteristics such as the age and sex of the participants seemed to have a greater influence on the frequency of parent-child RTP than variables related for example to work, socio-economic conditions, or the living environment. The hypothesis that children who engage in more RTP with their fathers display less physical aggression towards their peers is invalidated here. We have concluded that it is important that not only RTP frequency, but also and especially indicators of RTP quality be used. Future observational studies of father-child RTP are required in order to do so. Finally, certain preliminary results support the hypothesis that father-child RTP fosters the development of the competition skills in children without using aggression.RésuméTrois échantillons de sujets francophones du Québec (Canada) ont été utilisés afin d’établir la prévalence des jeux de bataille parent-enfant en fonction de différentes variables personnelles et socio-familiales, et de vérifier si les enfants qui font davantage de ces jeux avec leur père font moins d’agressions physiques envers les autres enfants et s’ils sont plus compétitifs sans utiliser l’agression. Nos résultats ont montré que 24 à 43% des pères font quotidiennement des jeux de bataille avec leurs enfants, et que seulement 4 à 16% des pères ne l’ont jamais fait. De plus, la fréquence des jeux de bataille parent-enfant semble être influencée davantage par les caractéristiques personnelles comme l’âge et le sexe des participants que par des variables reliées par exemple au travail, aux conditions socio-économiques, et au milieu de vie. L’hypothèse voulant que les enfants faisant plus de jeux de bataille père-enfant font moins d’agressions physiques envers les pairs est ici infirmée. Nous avons conclu qu’il est important d’utiliser, non pas seulement la fréquence des jeux, mais aussi et surtout des indices de leur qualité. Pour cela, il est essentiel dans l’avenir d’entreprendre des études observationnelles des jeux de bataille père-enfant. Finalement, certains résultats préliminaires soutiennent l’hypothèse que ces jeux permettent le développement chez les enfants d’habilités de compétition sans avoir besoin d’utiliser l’agression.

Child Abuse in a Disciplinary Context: A Typology of Violent Family Environments

The objectives of this study were to identify and validate types of violent family environments based on child abuse in a disciplinary context. The study is original in that it simultaneously takes into account the cognitive and behavioral dimensions of the parental role as it relates to the degree of family violence in a child’s life. Cluster analyses were performed on a representative sample of 3,148 families. The Abusive profile applied to families who reported at least one severe assault on a child within the past year. This profile also had the highest levels of domestic violence, psychological aggression, and corporal punishment. The Harsh profile is nevertheless similar to the Abusive profile, despite the fact that these families reported no severe assault. The key difference is the lower score levels: the attributes are the same, but less intense. The Nonabusive profile accounted for the families with the lowest rates of domestic and parental violence, together with a negative attitude towards corporal punishment and a heightened awareness of the consequences of violence. Although the families who matched the Paradoxical profile reported very little violence, they are the least aware of the consequences of violence and the most in favor of corporal punishment. The four profiles were replicated with another cluster analysis performed on an independent representative sample of 2,465 families. Then the profiles were compared with regard to the variables used to create the clusters and other variables theoretically associated with the appearance of maltreatment. These validation methods enhance the credibility of the proposed typology.

Fathers’ Perspectives on Their Relationship With Their Infant in the Context of Breastfeeding

Research has demonstrated beneficial effects on children’s development of both breastfeeding and fathers’ involvement. Evidence has also shown that breastfeeding could influence paternal behaviors. Since there is little data available on paternal representations of breastfeeding and on its effects on paternal involvement, the aim of the present study is to bridge that gap by examining fathers’ perceptions of their relationship with their infant in the context of breastfeeding. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 43 fathers of an infant who had been exclusively breast-fed for a minimum of 6 months. These were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The fathers identified some impacts of breastfeeding on the father–infant relationship. Feeding their infant themselves appeared to be a determining moment in this relationship. These results highlight the relevance of supporting early father–infant bonding in the breastfeeding context.

Protocol for evaluation of the continuum of primary care in the case of a miscarriage in the emergency room: a mixed-method study

BackgroundIn Quebec (Canada), nearly 20,000 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and the majority of the miscarriages are dealt with in an emergency unit. Although there are studies documenting the effects of this type of grief on mental health, men’s experiences are much less discussed than those of women. Similarly, no study has evaluated best practices in terms of service continuity, from emergency care to community resources. The aim of this study is to better understand the relationships that exist between the organization of emergency room and primary care health services for women presenting with miscarriage, on the one hand, and the positions and experiences of women and men within these services, on the other.MethodsThe general objective of this mixed-method study can be broken down into three methodological sections. Focus 1. Institutional discourses and practices. This section is structured as a multiple case study of the mandates of five participant institutions. The study will involve (a) a documentary analysis; (b) a quantitative survey (N: 200) and (c) group interviews (N: 75) with caregivers and emergency unit managers. Focus 2. Women’s and men’s experiences of miscarriages and the institutional response. This section includes (a) a survey (N: 232) and (b) individual interviews (N: 80) designed to identify best practices in emergency involving women and their partners in each area. Focus 3. This section will integrate the information furnished by the first two sections in order to create an ethnographic overview of the situation.DiscussionThis innovative project will provide answers to critical questions on how to improve the effectiveness and quality of interdisciplinary and multisectoral interventions to promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of couples having experienced a miscarriage. It will have a material effect on the organization of emergency services and of the primary care pathway for women experiencing a miscarriage and for their partners.Trial registrationNot applicable. This study involves a retrospective view of usual health care interventions. This study is not a clinical trial that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes.

Professionals’ positive perceptions of fathers are associated with more favourable attitudes towards including them in family interventions

This Université du Québec en Outaouais study examined professionals’ attitudes towards fathers, their perceived self‐efficacy when working with them and their perceptions of the importance of including fathers in family interventions.