Healthy father-son bond ensures stress-free adulthood for kids

A healthy relationship between the father-son duo ensures that the latter gains confidence and is well equipped, emotionally as well as physically, to face the challenges of the world.

New research suggests that this healthy relationship bears fruit and helps sons in later stages of life as well.

Hitherto most studies have “parenting focus on the relationship with the mother.” The present study analyzed in depth, the impact of relationship with the father.

Researchers at California State University, Fullerton established that men who had a ‘good’ relationship with their dads when they were young were less emotional in managing tense events on a day-to-day basis.

Details of the study
For the purpose of the study, researchers interviewed more than 900 men and women aged from 25 to 74.

These respondents provided all information pertaining to their relationships, health, medications and socioeconomic status. The participants were questioned every day for a week on a range of topics.

The analysis revealed that there is a strong link between relationships with dad in childhood and how one reacts to anxiety as an adult.

The relationship affected daughters too; however the study findings established that the link was more predominant in men.

"Men who on days where they have a stressor are more reactive to it -- they're more likely to be in a bad mood and have higher levels of psychological stress -- these are the men who reported having poor relationships with their father in childhood," said psychologist Melanie Mallers, lead author of the study and a stress health researcher at California State University, Fullerton.

"What men can do for boys, the way they play with them, the way they talk with them, the way they teach them to be assertive, the way they teach them to problem-solve -- it has profound lasting implications,” Mallers said of the findings.

From mother’s perspective
Mallers averred that she sees the research findings from the eyes of a mother.

"As a mom, when I see the way my husband interacts with my son, I realize this is having lasting effects on how he's going to cope, my son, how he's going to cope when he's older," she said.

"And he's learning things from his dad that I can't necessarily teach him," noted the lead researcher.

The findings of the study were presented by Mallers at the American Psychological Association's annual convention in San Diego.

"It reared its head all on its own, and showed that dads really, really matter for their sons," Mallers said.