Child Happiness Associated with Paternal Profiles in Parenting Behaviors and Work-Family Balance

Abstract

In Korea, expectations for paternal roles are changing from strict fathers to intimate fathers as a result of the rise in dual-income families. Maintaining a work-family balance to allow for more involvement in parenting can be difficult for Korean fathers because they tend to be work-oriented. They also typically lack a role model for close father-child relationships due to Korea’s tradition of authoritarian fatherhood. In this study, we identify paternal profiles and what types of fathers are positively associated with child happiness. For this purpose, we investigate (a) the number and characteristics of paternal profiles in parenting behaviors (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting) and work-family balance (work-family benefits and conflicts); (b) predictors of the profiles, and (c) how the profiles are associated with child happiness. Our sample included 1,159 fathers with children in the 3rd grade from the 10th wave of the Panel Study on Korean Children. The mean age of the fathers was 42.15 years ( SD = 3.88), and the mean length of their marital relationship was about 12.90 years ( M = 154.83 months, SD = 36.98). Using Mplus, we applied latent profile analysis and found three profiles: (1) authoritative fathers with work-family benefits (22.1%); (2) authoritative-permissive fathers with work-family balance (52.9%); and (3) inconsistent fathers with work-family conflicts (25.0%). We also examined predictors of the profiles and child happiness. Health, age, and marital relationship satisfaction were the significant predictors of the profiles. Children of authoritative fathers with work-family benefits showed significantly higher happiness than children of the other paternal types. Our findings provide valuable implications for family practices and government policies regarding the importance of paternal roles on child happiness and the impact of health status, age, and marital relationship satisfaction on fathers’ parenting.