A recent study led by Ohio State University highlights the benefits of longer paternity leaves, revealing they enhance co-parenting dynamics by reducing maternal gatekeeping behaviors.
New research led by The Ohio State University reveals that extending paternity leave can significantly improve co-parenting dynamics, easing the burden traditionally borne by new mothers. This study, published in the journal Sex Roles, shows that mothers are less likely to inhibit fathers’ involvement in parenting when dads take more time off work post-birth.
“When fathers take longer leaves, mothers might take that as a sign that fathers are more interested in being an active parent and be less likely to try to prevent them from participating in child care,” lead author Reed Donithen, a doctoral student in developmental psychology at Ohio State, said in a news release.
The study’s findings indicate that longer paternity leave helps shift traditional parenting roles and encourages a more balanced division of childcare responsibilities. This change could have widespread implications for family dynamics and child development.
Maternal Gatekeeping Revisited
The researchers used data from the New Parents Project, a long-term study led by Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, professor of psychology at Ohio State and president of the board of the Council on Contemporary Families and study co-author.
The project tracks how dual-earner couples adjust to parenthood and develop over time.
Mothers and fathers answered questions about “maternal gatekeeping,” which refers to the extent to which mothers either welcome or inhibit fathers’ involvement in childcare, when their baby was 9 months old.
“Mothers may think they are the default main parent and so they don’t go out of their way to encourage dads to get more involved,” Donithen added.
“It is difficult to change people’s attitudes, but a longer paternity leave appears to change not only how mothers respond to fathers’ involvement in child care but how they view parental roles,” Schoppe-Sullivan said in the news release. “That is exciting.”
A Path Toward Equality
The study controlled for multiple variables, including psychological factors of both parents and socioeconomic status, highlighting the robust nature of its findings.
This research suggests that longer paternity leaves may set in motion various changes, fostering a more equitable division of childcare duties.
“A lot of research on the transition to parenthood suggests that nearly all couples fall into this trap of having unequal roles – even highly educated, two-earner couples like those in our study,” Schoppe-Sullivan added. “This study suggests that a longer paternity leave may be a way out of the trap, that it may lead to a situation where fathers do have more of an equal role in parenting.”
Co-authors of the study include Miranda Berrigan and Claire Kamp Dush of the University of Minnesota.
Implications for Future Policies
The findings underscore the potential for longer paternity leave policies to promote a more balanced dynamic between mothers and fathers, ultimately benefiting the whole family.
Policymakers may consider these insights to encourage more inclusive parental leave policies that support both parents.
Source: The Ohio State University