Differences between Mothers and Fathers in Parent-Child Free-Play Interactions with Preschoolers

Background:

Fathers are the primary caregivers for 21% of preschoolers in the US (US Census Bureau, 2013). Although this number has increased over the past 30 years, fathers of children with ASD remain underrepresented in early intervention research. Research comparing mothers and fathers of children with ASD tends to focus on differences in stress and coping strategies; few studies have examined differences in intervention strategies and language use. Fathers tend to be more directive in language and play (Elder et al, 2003), but our understanding of father-child interactions is still relatively limited. Understanding baseline differences between mothers and fathers may help inform parent training in interventions for young children with ASD.

Objectives:

To determine if parent strategies and parent language use differs in parent-child free-play interactions based on parent gender.

Methods:

This study uses baseline data from a social communication intervention RCT. Participants included 53 primary caregivers (38 mothers, 15 fathers) and their preschoolers with ASD (Mage=45.13 months, SD=5.37). Children used <30 spontaneous words at baseline.

Each parent-child dyad completed a videotaped 10-minute free play assessment (PCX). PCXs were coded (ICCs=.75-.88) for parents’ use of strategies common across ABA-based interventions, namely:

1. Responsiveness: Supportively responding to child’s verbal and nonverbal cues
2. Pacing: Timing and appropriateness of actions and language
3. Prompting: Quality and appropriateness of prompt usage (e.g., prompt hierarchy)
4. Environmental arrangement: Placement of body and materials in relation to child

Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale; higher ratings indicated more fluent and more appropriate use of strategies. PCXs were also transcribed and analyzed for parent language (total utterances, MLU, number of different words).

One-way ANCOVAs were conducted to determine the effect of parent gender on parent strategies and parent language, controlling for child age, non-verbal IQ, and number of different words. Bonferroni post-hoc tests were conducted as needed.

Results:

Estimated marginal means for parent outcomes are reported in Table 1. There was a main effect of parent gender on pacing, F(1,48)=7.12, p=.008. Mothers (M=3.55, SE=.17) were significantly more likely to appropriately pace interactions compared to fathers (M=2.61, SE=.28). Parent gender was also associated with prompting, F(1,48)=5.09, p=.029. Mothers (M=3.35, SE=.15) were significantly more likely to prompt appropriately compared to fathers (M=2.71, SE=.24). Parent gender was not associated with responsiveness, environmental arrangement, or parent language.

Conclusions:

Mothers and fathers did not differ in the amount of language they used; however, when compared to mothers, fathers’ pacing and prompting tended to be less appropriate within the context of free play. These findings are practically significant, given the importance of parents’ appropriate pacing (e.g., Gulsrud et al, 2016) and prompting (e.g., Hardan et al, 2015) in facilitating children’s social communication. Understanding these baseline differences between mothers’ and fathers’ interactions provides valuable information for parent training, highlighting areas where fathers may need additional support to facilitate their children’s social communication skills.