Jennifer StGeorge

Rough and tumble play quality: theoretical foundations for a new measure of father-child interaction

Energetic, competitive, body-contact play (rough and tumble play (RTP)) is commonly observed among young children and is reported as an important feature of father–child relationships. Animal studies have demonstrated positive developmental effects of peer–peer play-wrestling, influencing cognitive and social outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of RTP between father and child and its relationship to child development and to describe a theoretically informed measure of the quality of father–child RTP.

Heading Into Fatherhood—Nervously: Support for Fathering From Online Dads

Men are becoming increasingly aware of and keen about the promises of involved fathering, and there is growing recognition of the need to support fathers, especially in the postnatal period. However, there is limited evidence of how best to offer this support. In this article, we investigate a new avenue of support that is gaining popularity in the public health sector: the Internet. Using qualitative methods, we examine messages in an asynchronous online chat room for new fathers to reveal how fathers themselves requested, offered, and received social support. Features of their communication style included humor and self-disclosure. An emergent, overarching purpose of their communications was to make fathering more “visible,” and to encourage each other to engage confidently and wholeheartedly in fathering.

Fathers online: learning about fatherhood through the internet.

In the transition to fatherhood, men face numerous challenges. Opportunities to learn new practices and gain support are limited, although the provisions of father-specific spaces such as fathers’ antenatal classes or “responsible fathering” programs are important advances. This article explores how men use the social space of a father-specific Internet chat room to learn about fathering. Messages to an Australian-hosted, father-specific chat room (for fathers of infants or young children) were examined, and three overlapping themes illustrated men’s perceptions of their transition to fatherhood. The themes concerned recognition of and response to a lack of social space, services, and support for new fathers. The implications for fathers’ perinatal education are discussed.

Learning Patterns in Music Practice: Links between Disposition, Practice Strategies and Outcomes.

Research into musical practice has over recent decades focused on the technical and organisational strategies employed by novices and experts. What has been less studied are the background factors or influences on the quality of this music practice. Drawing on interview data collected from 66 children and adults from a mixed methods project, we investigate dispositional factors involved in learning and their association with practice strategies and musical and technical outcomes. A qualitative cluster analysis of beliefs about music and learning, expressions of volition and practice strategies produced three distinctive patterns of learning that influenced technical, musical and affective outcomes for the participants. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed.

Father-Child Interactions and Children's Risk of Injury.

Unintentional injury is an important cause of infant and child hospitalisation and parents play a key role in reducing childrens risk-taking behaviour. Studies show that maternal and paternal parenting and supervision of children differ, but there is little research showing how fathers’ parenting may influence childrens tendency to engage in risk-taking behaviour. Recent theoretical developments suggest that fathers parenting may be particularly effective in encouraging safe risk taking. In this study, we examine how well parenting practices typically undertaken by fathers predict rates of childrens injury risk at three years. Questionnaire data were collected from 46 fathers. Results show that both duration of rough-and-tumble play and fathers’ encouragement of perseverance predicted lower rates of injury behaviours, while their stimulation of risk taking predicted higher rates of injury behaviours. The results are discussed in the light of developmentally appropriate risk taking and fathering.

MEASUREMENT OF FATHER–CHILD ROUGH‐AND‐TUMBLE PLAY AND ITS RELATIONS TO CHILD BEHAVIOR

Although there is increasing evidence of paternal influence on child outcomes such as language and cognition, researchers are not yet clear on the features of father-child play that are most valuable in terms of child development. Physical play such as rough and tumble play (RTP) is a favored type of father-child play in Western societies that has been linked to childrens socioemotional competence. It is important, therefore, to determine the implications of this play for child development. In this review and meta-analysis, associations between father-child physical play and child behavior were examined. The review also focused on study methods. Sixteen studies are reviewed, N = 1,521 father-child dyads, 35% boys. Study characteristics such as definitions of physical play, play settings, play measures, and coding were examined. The meta-analysis found weak to moderate population effects for links between father-child physical play and child aggression, social competence, emotional skills, and self-regulation. Research investigating the effect of father-child physical play on childrens development will be improved when definitions clearly identify the nature of play, settings facilitate boisterous play, and measures include frequency and quality of play interactions. This play shows promise as an enhancer of positive father-child relationships and a catalyst for child development.

Men’s help-seeking in the context of family separation

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore how men manage their mental and physical wellbeing during the difficulty and stress of family dissolution. Interviews with 26 fathers were undertaken to discuss the ways in which fathers responded to the crisis, what help they sought if any, and the ways in which they coped with distress ensuing from the family breakdown. Participants were recruited through the new Australian Family Relationship Centres. Although men are generally considered high-risk at the time of family breakdown, the study found that the fathers exercised resourcefulness and flexibility in management of their wellbeing. This was demonstrated by the ways in which they handled their emotions and aspects of the problem, and by the seeking of both informational and emotional help through family members and friends. Significantly, it was assistance from family and experienced others, and not from professional sources, that was key to fathers being able to balance the stress of the ongoing conflict with their well-being. Government and non-government services were perceived by many fathers as difficult to access. Taking a non-deficit perspective on men’s help-seeking behaviour has revealed the extent to which men can monitor and manage their personal resources to deal with adversity. The findings also suggest that there are specific barriers to fathers’ access to services. Additionally, the study highlights the effectiveness of strong family connections and mentors as resources for mental health prevention and intervention. Implications for family services are discussed.

Men's Experiences of Grandfatherhood: A Welcome Surprise

The present-day involvement of men in many facets of childrearing stands in contrast to previous eras when men accepted that the major task of fathering was to provide a secure income to support the family. This imperative often required long hours away from the family. However, when men whose contact with children has been limited due to work and cultural constraints retire, their newly acquired lifestyle may bring fresh opportunities for involvement with grandchildren. An important question therefore concerns the impact of caring for young children on mens perceptions of their role as grandfathers. This interview study explores the experiences of 19 Australian grandfathers. The analysis found themes that relate to relationships and change, as well as themes concerning core beliefs and existential questions. The findings demonstrate the potential for insight into family relationships and personal growth in older age when studying the topic of grandparenting and caring from the male perspective.

Practitioners' Understanding of Father Engagement in the Context of Family Dispute Resolution

Abstract The 2006 Australian family law reforms preserve the ‘best interests of the child’ as the guiding principle for making decisions about post-separation parenting but also require, with some exceptions, that parents attempt to resolve disputes in the first instance via mediation or ‘family dispute resolution’ processes. In placing greater emphasis on the child’s right to a ‘meaningful’ relationship with both parents after separation, the legislation also in effect seeks to elevate the role of fathers in the lives of their children and move beyond the more stereotyped view of these fathers as financial providers and ‘visitors’ to their children. An important element in the successful mediation of post-separation parenting disputes is the engagement of fathers. But how is this done and what does ‘engaging fathers’ mean? This study sought to identify steps taken by family relationship practitioners to engage fathers in the dispute resolution process. The analysis revealed that in engaging with fathers in mediation, practitioners drew on four types of competencies to facilitate two basic steps, one of showing respect, the other of reframing the issue of sharing the parenting.

Affinity for music: A study of the role of emotion in musical instrument learning

For many people, the appeal of music lies in its connection to human emotions. A significant body of research has explored the emotions that are experienced through either the formal structure of music or through its symbolic messages. Yet in the instrumental music education field, this emotional connection is rarely examined. In this article, it is argued that identifying more about “liking music,” especially in young learners, has a role to play in explaining the music-learning experience and how participation in learning can be sustained. Based on findings from the qualitative elements of a larger study that explored student engagement with learning, this article proposes the concept of “affinity” as the affective and subjective connection to music that motivates individuals’ continuing involvement with music.