RESUME PS 014 648 Baruch , Grace K . ; Barnett , Rosalind C . Fathers ' Participation in Family Work : Effects on Children ' s Sex

ABSTRACT To investigate dimensions of fathers' participation in family work and to examine the effects of each, dimension on children's sex-role related attitudes, this study collected data from 160 fathers of kindergarten and fourth-grade children, their wives, and their children. Fathers and mothers were interviewed jointly as -separately and they independently filled out a questionnaire. Children were individually interviewed at school. The following categories of data related to dimensions of'fathers' participation were reported: (1) intensity of interaction/with children; (2) absolute amount of time spent in child care or home chores verses the proportional amount of time spent (i.e., the number of hours spent by the father divided by the number of hours spent by both parents); (3) solo participation versus participation with 'the mother; (4) performance of household chores versus child care; and (5) responsiblity for tasks versus simply performing them. Children's sex-role sterotyping and attitudes were assessed in three domains: current interests and activities, adult occupational r-ops, and adult family roles. In addition, children's occupational aspirations were also ascertained. Fathers' participation patterns were. associated with maternal employment status and parents' sex-role attitudes (specifice.ly, their attitudes about the male role). (AS)