Paternal Sensitivity and Children’s Cognitive and Socioemotional Outcomes: A Meta‐Analytic Review

In a series of meta‐analyses, paternal sensitivity was associated with children’s (age range: 7 months–9 years) overall cognitive functioning ( N  = 3,193; k  = 23; r  = .19), including language skills ( k  = 9; r  = .21), cognitive ability ( k  = 9; r  = .18), and executive function ( k  = 8; r  = .19). Paternal sensitivity was not associated with children’s overall socioemotional functioning ( N  = 2,924; k  = 24; r  = −.03) or internalizing problems, but it was associated with children’s emotion regulation ( k  = 7; r  = .22) and externalizing problems ( k  = 19; r  = −.08). In the broad cognitive functioning, executive function, broad socioemotional functioning, and externalizing problems meta‐analyses, child age was a significant moderator.