Mothers’ Satisfaction with Fathers’ Parent Role and Associated Factors

—Focusing on Parents of Preschoolers

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated mothers’ satisfaction with the role of the father and explored associated factors.

Methods: The participants were mothers of 3–6-year-old preschoolers. All the mothers were over 20 years old and were married. The data for this study were gathered through anonymous, self-reported questionnaires, collected by mail. The questionnaire included the mother’s and father’s characteristics, the degree of the father’s participation in childcare, the support from the father, and the mother’s satisfaction with the person playing the role of the father. Associated factors were analyzed using a t-test and multiple regression analysis.

Results: The questionnaires were received by 398 individuals, and 183 responses were collected; of these, 179 (45.0%) were considered usable. The average satisfaction score of the participants was 34.5±10.0 points (on a scale of a possible 10–50 points). Higher satisfaction was associated with greater participation in childcare (β=0.20) and greater support on the part of the husband (β=0.68).

Conclusions: To ensure that mothers are satisfied with the man playing the role of the father, some childcare participation and support must be received from the father. In particular, the support of the husband was found to promote spiritual support for mothers burdened with childrearing, which is considered important for stable childrearing.