Research finds interaction with father, not mother, affects child health

NEW YORK – For much of the 20th century and beyond, social scientists attributed a variety of chronic mental health problems to dysfunction between infants and their mothers, who were categorised as overbearing, rejecting, domineering or ambivalent.

But a team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University has found that, at times, the early parenting behaviour of fathers may have a greater impact on children’s health.