The effect of paternal parenting behaviors on children development in western rural China

Despite the crucial role of fathers’ parenting activities in early child development and the increasing global attention to fathers’ parenting behaviors, these is a paucity of knowledge regarding paternal parenting in rural China. Using a rich dataset of 1145 infants from rural China, we described the prevalent paternal parenting behaviors in the sample area and explored the correlations between fathers’ parenting behaviors and children’s cognitive outcome and socio-emotional development. To assess children’s cognitive development, we utilized various scales based on their development stages: the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Third Edition (BSID-III) for ages 6–24 months and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) for ages 52–85 months. Our overall findings revealed positive correlations between paternal behaviors and developmental outcomes of sampled children, including cognitive skills and social-emotional development. Fathers’ parenting behaviors in rural China are insufficient and need to be improved. Specifically, less than a quarter of fathers reported engaging in activities such as telling stories using picture books, singing songs, or playing with toys with their children in the past three days. Based on our findings, we recommend that local government provide additional parenting instructions to heighten fathers’ awareness and participation in parenting activities, especially in rural low-income areas. Additionally, creating more employment opportunities in their hometowns for fathers with young children could substantially benefit these children.