Paternal Acceptance and Nurturance Received and Parents’ Acceptance and Nurturance of Their Children

Author

Michael Hansen, University of Rhode Island

Date of Award

1990

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Henry B. Biller

Abstract

The relationship of perceived paternal nurturance and acceptance and parents' nurturance and acceptance of their children was investigated. Two-hundred and fifty (250) undergraduate students and their parents participated in the study. Each subject completed an abbreviated version of the Family Data Form (FDF), which was used to obtain individual and family demographic information. The Family Relations Inventory (FRI) was utilized to measure subjects' perceptions of the degree of parental nurturance and acceptance received. In addition, students completed the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS). Interrelationships between students' and parents' perceived nurturance and acceptance were examined through the utilization of a structural equation model. Fathers' perceived paternal nurturance was shown to relate significantly to both sons' and daughters' perceptions of paternal nurturance received, whereas, parents' perceived paternal acceptance was not found to be significantly related to children's perceptions of parental acceptance across all subject groups.

Multivariate analyses of variance were also conducted to assess interrelationships between students' perceived paternal involvement and their scores on the personality adjustment measures. Paternal nurturance was found to be significantly related to subjects' personality adjustment, but no significant findings were obtained for the relationship of paternal acceptance and the personality adjustment measures. Implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research concerning the father-child relationship are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Hansen, Michael, "Paternal Acceptance and Nurturance Received and Parents’ Acceptance and Nurturance of Their Children" (1990). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 1018.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/1018