An exploratory study of the characteristics associated with father-child rough-and-tumble play quality

Parent-child interactions are critical for a child’s overall wellbeing and growth, however there are distinct differences in the types of interactions that mothers and fathers engage in. For example, fathers more commonly utilize physical play, such as Rough-and-Tumble Play (RTP), to interact and bond with their child. Father-child RTP is thought to contribute to a range of child outcomes, including social, emotional cognitive and behaviour development. Literature suggests that the quality of the interaction mediates the effect of RTP interactions on child developmental outcomes. However, little is known about the influence of father and child characteristics on the quality of RTP. Therefore, this study explored the association of both father and child characteristics to the quality of RTP interactions. The study included 64 families of fathers, mothers and their child (aged 18-24 months). Fathers and mothers completed questionnaires concerning child and father characteristics including child social-emotional development. Child developmental attainment was assessed using the Bayley-III scales. In addition, fathers and their child completed a video-recorded play interaction, where fathers were instructed to play RTP as they would at home. Results demonstrated that the quality of RTP was associated with the frequency of RTP, child age and child social-emotional development. The results provide further evidence of the positive link between father-child RTP and child developmental outcomes. This study highlights the importance of furthering our understanding of the impact of father-child interactions.