Paternal care in contemporary society (a comparison of Russia and Belarus)

Abstract

Paternal care contributes to offspring’s development and future success in their adult life. Cultural stereotypes and individual views about family roles continue to have a significant impact on paternal care. We conducted a cross-cultural study of paternal care in Russia and Belarus, with special reference to cumulative impact of the level of family income and individual views concerning gender inequality. Total sample was 570 respondents. Results revealed the similarity of the behavioral models of fathers in Russia and Belarus. The general model of paternal care shows that a high level of wealth contributes to the increase of paternal care in both countries, whereas high level of gender inequality reduces the level of paternal care. Both countries continue to practice the traditional approach to sharing of concerns regarding children – women are more involved in childcare and education, while men invest more in the financial income of the family.