Sociodemographic variables predicting fathers involvement in child rearing in Basavanapura village of Hunasuru taluk, Mysuru district, Karnataka

Abstract

Background: Role of parents in upbringing of children is crucial in forming a child’s future. In the present generation of increasing nuclear families, father’s role in child rearing becomes even more important in deciding the future of a child. Hence in this regard the following study was conducted to determine the father’s involvement in child rearing and to determine the socio-demographic variables associated with involvement of father in child rearing.

Methods: It is a cross-sectional study conducted in rural part of Mysuru District. Houses in the village were selected by simple random sampling through lottery method. Data was collected using Inventory of Fathers Involvement (IFI) questionnaire which was self-administered. Information on socio-demographic variables were also collected. Data thus obtained was coded and entered into SPSS version 22 and analyzed using the same. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, viz. percentages and the inferential statistics using Chi-Square test for qualitative data. Mann Witney U Test was used to know if significant difference existed in various domains of both group (Those with poor and better involvement in child rearing).

Results: 75.9% of fathers had poor in child rearing and the remaining 24.1% showed better involved in child rearing based on scores. The difference was observed in all the domains of IFI in the two groups except Attentiveness domain. Age of the father was found to be significantly associated with ‘social encouragement’ and ‘providing’ domains. Birth spacing with ‘Mother Support’ domain. Socio-economic status with ‘praise and affection’ domain. Type of family with ‘developing talents and future concerns’, ‘reading and homework support’ and Sex of the child was seen to be associated with ‘developing talent and future concern’ and overall total score.

Conclusions: 3/4^th of father’s showed poor involvement in child rearing. The individual scores in all domains was statistically significant in both groups. Various socio-demographic variables were found to influence father’s involvement.