Father Involvement and Child Well-Being: 2006 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)—Child Well-Being Topical Module Jane Lawler Dye, Fertility and Family Statistics Branch, U.S. Census Bureau Purpose • Research suggests a posi tve associaton between father involvement and child well being (Menestrel, 1999). However, the relatonship has not been investgated in much depth. • The well-being of children can be affected by many circumstances and parental behaviors. Research shows that for young children father involvement is associated with beter cogni tve development, psychological outcomes and behavior (Radin, 1994). However, the effects of father involvement may depend on factors such as whether the father is a biological or stepfather, engagement tme, and father’s educatonal atainment (Hofferth, 2006). Data Source • 2004 Survey of Income and Program Par tcipa ton (SIPP) • The SIPP provides a large, natonally representatve sample of the civilian noninsttutonalized populaton age 15 and over with data on income, labor force partcipaton, and partcipaton in government assistance programs, as well as other characteristcs. – Data in this presentaton are from a sample, and therefore are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. For more informaton about the source and accuracy of the data go to htp://www.bls.census.gov/sipp/source.html – All statements in this presentat on have been statstcally test ed at the 90 percent level of confidence. – For more informaton about the SIPP go to www.sipp.census.gov/sipp Child Well-Being Topical Module • The Child Well-Being Topical Module was administered to parents of children under age 18 from June 2006 to September 2006 in wave 8 of the SIPP 2004 panel. • A designated parent* was asked a series of ques tons related to father involvement. In this analysis we include the following: Did the biological, step, adopted father, or male guardian – Praise the child? – Talk or play with the child? – Eat dinner with the child? *The mother was selected as the designated parent unless absent – then the father was selected. If neither parent was present a female guardian was selected. If no female guardian was present a male guardian was designated parent. Metro Status • Children who lived in nonmetropolitan areas were – more likely to eat dinner with their father at least five days per week, although the difference is small Bivariate Analysis • School Atachment – Child ofen likes school – Child ofen works hard in school – Child is of en interested in school work • Academic Performance – Child is in gi f ed classes – Child never repeated a grade – Child was never expelled or suspended School Atachment • In the bivariate analysis, there was no signi ficant di ff erence in school a tachment by father involvement • Between 86 and 89 percent of children of en liked school, worked hard in school or were interested in school work regardless of the degree of father involvement. Academic Performance • Children who had dinner with their father at least five days per week were – less likely to be in gi fed classes – more likely to have never been expelled or suspended.* • Children who talked or played with their father at least once per day were – more likely to be in gi fed classes – more likely to never been expelled or suspended.* • Children who were praised by their father at least once per day were – more likely to have never repeated a grade. – more likely to have never been expelled or suspended.* *among 12 to 17 year olds • Biological fathers were more involved than step- fathers -- although the di fferences were small. • There was no signi ficant di ff erence in father involvement based on father’s marital status among this group of children who have a father in the household. Type of Relatonship with Father and Father’s Marital Status Race and Hispanic Origin • Hispanic children were most likely to eat dinner regularly with their father (81 percent) versus – 69 percent of Black children. • Non-Hispanic White children were more likely to talk or play with their father (77 percent) versus – 69 percent of Hispanic children. • Hispanic children were less likely to be praised every day (70 percent) versus – 75 percent of non-Hispanic White children. Father’s Educatonal Atainment and Family Income • In general, children whose father had less educaton and less family income tended to be more likely to eat dinner together at least five days per week. • Children whose father had higher educatonal atainment tended to be more likely to be talked to or played with and be praised by a father every day. • Children who had a lower family income ($2,999 per month or less) tended to be talked to or played with and praised by a father less than those with an income of $6,000 per month or more. Region • Children who live in the Northeast were least likely to eat dinner with their father at least fi ve days per week (70 percent) versus – 77 percent in the West. • Children in the Midwest were most likely to talk or play with their father every day (80 percent) versus – 73 percent in the South. • Children in the South were least likely to be praised every day by their father (70 percent) versus – 77 percent in the West. Figure 4. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old by Father Figure 1. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old Who Were Involved Trends in Father Involvement • Among children 6 to 17 years old who live with a father:* – the percentage eatng dinner with a father at least five days per week declined from 76 percent in 2003 to 74 percent in 2006. – the percentage who talked or played with a father for five minutes or more at least once a day on average rose about 4 percentage points. – the percent who were praised by a father at least once a day increased 6 percentage points. *Father may be biological, step, adoptive, or a male guardian. Father Involvement by Age and Sex • In 2006, among children 6 to 17 years old with a father in the household: – Fathers were more involved with young children than older children. • Children 6 to 11 years old were – 7 percentage points more likely to eat dinner with a father five or more days a week, – 9 percentage points more likely to talk or play with father, and – 15 percentage points more likely to be praised at least once a day. – Fathers were about equally involved with sons and daughters. • Children in single-parent-father households had more involvement with their father through talking or playing and praise: – In one parent households, 8 out of 10 children talked or played with a father at least once per day, – 77 percent of children in one parent households were praised at least once per day. Number of Parents present Figure 7. School Atachment by Father Involvement: 2006 Involvement, Race and Hispanic Origin: 2006 with their Father*: 2003-2006 Universe: Children with a father in the household Like school Work hard in school Are interested in schoolwork Eat dinner with child at least five days per week Eat dinner together at least 5 days per week Universe: Children with a father in the household. Universe: Children with a father Talk or Play with child at least once per day Talk/Play at least once a day in the household 88 88 87 88 88 87 88 89 87 88 88 87 88 89 88 88 87 Praised at least once a day 86 Praise child at least once per day 81 100.0 77 75 75 73 73 74 74 72 70 69 69 90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 Less than 5 days per At least 5 days per Less than once a At least once a day Less than once a At least once a day 30.0 week week day day Dinner together Talk or play together Praised 2003 2004 2006 White alone, Non-Hispanic Black alone Asian alone Hispanic *Questions are only asked if a biological, step, or adoptive father or male guardian is in the household. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Panels 2001 and 2004; Child Well-Being Topi 1 cal Modules. Figure 5. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old by Indicators of Father Figure 2. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old by Indicators of Figure 8. Academic Performance by Father Involvement: Involvement, Father's Educatonal Atainment and Family Income: 2006 Father Involvement, Age, and Sex: 2006 2006 Were in gifted class Eat dinner together at least 5 days per week Eat dinner with Father at least 5 days per week Universe: Children with a father Universe: Children with a father Never repeated a grade Universe: Children with a father in the household Talk/Play at least once a day in the household Talk/Play with Father at least once a day in the household Were never expelled/ suspended* Praised at least once a day 94 93 93 93 93 93 92 94 93 Praised by Father at least once a day 90 90 90 81 81 81 80 80 78 77 77 76 75 75 76 75 76 75 75 73 74 76 74 75 74 74 73 73 72 72 72 71 71 71 70 69 68 66 65 24 21 20 20 19 18 Less than 5 days per At least 5 days per Less than once a day At least once a day Less than once a day At least once a day Less than High school Some college Under $1,500 $1,500 to $3,000 to $4,500 to $6,000 and week week high school graduate or more $2,999 $4,499 $5,999 over Dinner together Talk or Play together Praised 6 to 11 years 12 to 17 years Male Female Father’s educational attainment Family income *for 12 to 17 year old children. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. Figure 3. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old by Indicators of Father Figure 9. Odds Ratos for Children 6 to 17 years by Father Involvement and Figure 6. Percent of Children 6 to 17 Years Old by Indicators of Involvement, Number of Parents Present, Relatonship with Father, and Indicators of School Engagement and Academic Performance: 2006 Father Involvement, Region, and Metropolitan Status: 2006 Father's Marital Status: 2006 Dinner together at least 5 days per week Talk/Play at least once per day Praised at least once per day Eat dinner together at least 5 days per week Universe: Children with a father Universe: Children with a father Eat dinner together at least 5 days per week in the household Talk/Play at least once a day in the household Talk/Play at least once a day Praised at least once a day Often Likes School Praised at least once a day 80 81 80 77 75 75 77 76 77 75 76 76 75 76 75 76 76 Often Works Hard in School 74 74 74 75 73 73 73 73 74 74 75 75 74 74 74 72 72 71 70 70 70 70 67 65 66 Is Often Interested in Schoolwork In Gifted classes Never expelled or suspended1 Never repeated a grade None present One parent Two parents Biological Step-child Adopted child Married Unmarried * + * ** *** *** *** 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 child Northeast Midw est South West In metropolitan area Nonmetropolitan area "+" - 0.05<=p<0., * - Significant at 0.01<=p<0.05, ** - Significant at 0.001<=p<0.01, *** - Significant at p<0.001 Number of parents present Father s marital status Relationship with father 1. Restricted to 12 to 17 year old children. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. 1 U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 Panel Wave 8, Child Well-Being Topical Module. Mul tvariate Analysis • Dependent variables – School atachment – Academic performance • Independent variables – Father Involvement • Control variables – Number of parents present, type of relatonship with father, age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, father’s educatonal atainment, metropolitan status, family income and region. – For households where the mother was present, controlling for mother involvement dampened the effects of father involvement (data not shown). Conclusion • Father involvement was signi ficantly related to some aspects of child well-being: Academic performance – Especially with regard to the indicator that reflects disciplinary acton -- Never suspended or expelled • Children who were praised every day, who spent tme talking or playing with their father every day, and/or who ate dinner with their father at least five days per week had significantly higher odds of never being suspended or expelled from school. – Children whose father praised them every day had higher odds of being in gifed classes. Surprisingly, however, children who had dinner with their father at least five days per week had lower odds of being in gi fed classes than those who ate dinner with their father less ofen. School engagement – Children who talked or played with their father every day had greater odds of being characterized as “ofen interested in school work” compared to those who spent less tme with their father talking or playing. – Children’s odds of experiencing the other measures of school engagement (of en likes school, works hard in school) and of never repeatng a grade showed no signi ficant di fference associated with father involvement. Contact Jane Lawler Dye U.S. Census Bureau Fertlity and Family Stats tcs (301) 763-6057 [email protected]