Investigation of the social behaviors of pre-school children on the basis of father involvement and father-related variables

The aim of this study is to examine the social behaviors of preschool children on the basis of father involvement and father-related variables (father-child relationship, father's personality, income level, marital quality and perception of paternal role). In the study, Father Involvement Scale, Paternity Role Perception Scale, Five Factor Personality Scale, Parent-Child Relationship Scale, Marital Quality Scale, Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale and Demographic Information Form were used as data collection tools. The data were obtained through online questionnaires in the fall semester of 2021-2022. SPSS 26 and AMOS 23 were used for data analysis. The participants of the study were 504 fathers that who has children between the age of 3-6 living in Turkey. Convinience and snowball sampling methods were used to determine the participants. Results indicated that father involvement is a predictor of social competence and behavioral problems of preschool children. Also, father-child relationship and marital quality shows a significant mediating role in the relationship between father involvement and the child's social competence and behavioral problems. In addition, father involvement shows a significant mediating role in the relationship between child's social competence and behavioral problems with the father's personality and fatherhood role perception. Moreover, father involvement is a significant predictor of father-child relationship and marital quality. Father's personality traits and perception of paternal role predict paternal involvement. Finally, income level shows a significant moderator effect on the relationship between father involvement and children's anxiety-withdrawal levels.