Attitudes Toward Fathering and Father‐Child Activity

Responses of 77 middle‐class fathers of preschool‐aged children on two scales, Attitudes Toward Fathering and Father‐Child Activity, were analyzed to determine: (a) whether an association existed between scores on the two scales; and (b) whether responses were associated with age of father; age, sex, and ordinal position of child; and estimated interaction time with child. As attitude scores increased (became more developmental in nature), there was an associated increase in degree of father‐child activities. Age of fathers was not associated with attitudes toward fathering nor with degree of father‐child activities. Both Attitude and Activity Scale scores remained unchanged as age of children increased. However, as ordinal position of children increased there was a related change in attitudes that were more devel opmental but a related decrease in activities with children. Comparison of scores on both scales showed no significant differences as a function of sex of child. Data from item analyses of the two scales as a function of the three child variables provided additional interpretation to response patterns of the subjects.