Father Involvement, Father Nurturance, and Attachment Security as Predictors of Emotional Intelligence Bryn A. Robinson, PhD candidate Enrico DiTommaso, PhD Mary Ann Campbell, PhD Laurie Green, MA candidate University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB, Canada

Study Rationale Little known of father influence on child emotional development Influence trait emotional intelligence (Schutte et al, 1998) Optimism/mood regulation, utilization, & appraisal Fathers “teach” mood regulation to children The destabilizing playmate relationships What about other nurturing and involved roles? (Finley & Schwarz, 2004).

Little known of father influence on child emotional development

Influence trait emotional intelligence (Schutte et al, 1998)

Optimism/mood regulation, utilization, & appraisal

Fathers “teach” mood regulation to children

The destabilizing playmate relationships

What about other nurturing and involved roles? (Finley & Schwarz, 2004).

Study Rationale Attachment as influence on EI mood regulation Greater attachment security – more confidence in abilities to control emotions and regulate as required Present study: unique in considering these constructs Objective #1 : Empirically establish relationship between these variables Objective #2 : Determine unique predictive ability of father involvement/attachment on EI

Attachment as influence on EI mood regulation

Greater attachment security – more confidence in abilities to control emotions and regulate as required

Present study: unique in considering these constructs

Objective #1 : Empirically establish relationship between these variables

Objective #2 : Determine unique predictive ability of father involvement/attachment on EI

Method & Procedure N = 222 (155 female, 67 male), M age = 19.2 years Nurturing Father Scale (NFS; Finley & Schwartz, 2004) Perceptions of a nurturing father figure Father Involvement Scales (FIS; Finley & Schwartz, 2004) Retrospective look at actual and desired father involvement Relationship Scales Questionnaire & Relationship Questionnaire (RSQ & RQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994) Dimensions of secure, preoccupied, fearful & dismissing attachment Modified Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (MSEIS; Austin et al., 2004) Assesses overall trait EI, subscales of optimism/mood regulation, utilization of emotion, and appraisal of emotion

N = 222 (155 female, 67 male), M age = 19.2 years

Nurturing Father Scale (NFS; Finley & Schwartz, 2004)

Perceptions of a nurturing father figure

Father Involvement Scales (FIS; Finley & Schwartz, 2004)

Retrospective look at actual and desired father involvement

Relationship Scales Questionnaire & Relationship Questionnaire (RSQ & RQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994)

Dimensions of secure, preoccupied, fearful & dismissing attachment

Modified Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (MSEIS; Austin et al., 2004)

Assesses overall trait EI, subscales of optimism/mood regulation, utilization of emotion, and appraisal of emotion

Results – Father Involvement/Nurturance & Attachment ↑ father nurturance… ↑ secure attachment ( r = .15 , p < .05) ↓ fearful attachment ( r = - .19, p < .01) ↓ dismissing attachment ( r = -.19, p < .01) ↑ perceptions of actual father involvement… ↑ secure attachment ( r = .17, p < .05) ↓ levels of fearful & dismissing attachment ( r = -.16 & r = -.17, p < .05) Desired father involvement: not significant

↑ father nurturance…

↑ secure attachment ( r = .15 , p < .05)

↓ fearful attachment ( r = - .19, p < .01)

↓ dismissing attachment ( r = -.19, p < .01)

↑ perceptions of actual father involvement…

↑ secure attachment ( r = .17, p < .05)

↓ levels of fearful & dismissing attachment ( r = -.16 & r = -.17, p < .05)

Desired father involvement: not significant

Results – Attachment & Emotional Intelligence ↑ total EI … ↑ attachment security ( r = .41, p < .001) ↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment ( r = -.30 & r = -.23, p < .001) ↑ optimism/mood regulation… ↑ attachment security ( r = .45, p < .001) ↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment (both r = -.22, p < .01) ↑ utilization of emotions… ↑ preoccupied attachment ( r = .18, p < .01) ↑ emotional appraisal… ↑ attachment security (r = .40, p < .001) ↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment ( r = -.35 & r = -.29, p < .001)

↑ total EI …

↑ attachment security ( r = .41, p < .001)

↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment ( r = -.30 & r = -.23, p < .001)

↑ optimism/mood regulation…

↑ attachment security ( r = .45, p < .001)

↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment (both r = -.22, p < .01)

↑ utilization of emotions…

↑ preoccupied attachment ( r = .18, p < .01)

↑ emotional appraisal…

↑ attachment security (r = .40, p < .001)

↓ fearful/preoccupied attachment ( r = -.35 & r = -.29, p < .001)

Results – Father Involvement/Nurturance & EI ↑ reported father nurturance… ↑ optimism/mood regulation ( r = .15, p < .05) ↑ reported actual father involvement… ↑ total EI ( r = .21, p < .01) ↑ optimism/mood regulation abilities ( r = .26, p < .001) Desired father involvement: no significant relation

↑ reported father nurturance…

↑ optimism/mood regulation ( r = .15, p < .05)

↑ reported actual father involvement…

↑ total EI ( r = .21, p < .01)

↑ optimism/mood regulation abilities ( r = .26, p < .001)

Desired father involvement: no significant relation

Results – Predicting Emotional Intelligence Total EI Actual father involvement : predicts 2.3% (β =.28, p < .05) Secure attachment : uniquely predicts 7.1% (β =.32, p < .001) Optimism/mood regulation Actual father involvement : predicts 2.9% (β =.30, p < .05) Secure attachment : uniquely predicts 12.4% (β =.43, p <.001) Utilization of emotions: No significant predictors Appraisal of emotions Secure attachment : 4.3% unique variance (β = .25, p < .001) Preoccupied attachment : 2.8% unique variance (β = -.19, p <.01)

Total EI

Actual father involvement : predicts 2.3% (β =.28, p < .05)

Secure attachment : uniquely predicts 7.1% (β =.32, p < .001)

Optimism/mood regulation

Actual father involvement : predicts 2.9% (β =.30, p < .05)

Secure attachment : uniquely predicts 12.4% (β =.43, p <.001)

Utilization of emotions: No significant predictors

Appraisal of emotions

Secure attachment : 4.3% unique variance (β = .25, p < .001)

Preoccupied attachment : 2.8% unique variance (β = -.19, p <.01)

Discussion Actual father involvement: approx. 3% variance Increasingly significant as father involvement/nurturance increases Perceived involvement more important than what you wish it had been Secure attachment: approx. 13% of mood regulation variance Fathers’ involvement not predictive of emotion appraisal But secure & preoccupied attachment was… Appraisal of emotions developed through interactions with others – and mothers’ involvement thought to influence this (Luke et al., 2004)

Actual father involvement: approx. 3% variance

Increasingly significant as father involvement/nurturance increases

Perceived involvement more important than what you wish it had been

Secure attachment: approx. 13% of mood regulation variance

Fathers’ involvement not predictive of emotion appraisal

But secure & preoccupied attachment was…

Appraisal of emotions developed through interactions with others – and mothers’ involvement thought to influence this (Luke et al., 2004)

Conclusions Future Directions: Measures of mother involvement/nurturance, ability EI Structural equation modeling Prospective studies useful Examine the role of the parent Unique contributions of present study Evidence of father influence on emotional development First study to examine fathers, attachment and EI together

Future Directions:

Measures of mother involvement/nurturance, ability EI

Structural equation modeling

Prospective studies useful

Examine the role of the parent

Unique contributions of present study

Evidence of father influence on emotional development

First study to examine fathers, attachment and EI together