The Father study is a pilot study led by Dr. Soyang Kwon and funded by Lurie Children’s Hospital Family and Child Health Innovations Program (FCHIP) & Different Approaches to Data (DAD) Pilot grant. This study will collect primary data from the fathers of the Child and Mother Physical Activity Study (CAMPAS) participants.
Project Goals
- To develop and validate an accelerometer-based algorithm for toddler activity recognition.
- To compare physical activity levels from age 12 to 36 months between sexes (assigned at birth).
- To compare mothers’ and fathers’ parenting practices as well as their perspectives on their children’s development, primarily in relation to physical activity behaviors.
- To examine the impact (if any) of parents’ parenting stress, and a child’s behavioral problems, with child’s regular physical activity at age 18-24 months.
Background
Early childhood development and parenting research often includes maternal-child dyads and miss an important opportunity to include fathers to understand more holistic dynamics of families related to early childhood development and health.
Anticipated Impact
This pilot study will provide preliminary data to understand the impacts of fathers’ perspective and involvement on early childhood development and wellbeing. Father-mother concordance on parenting practices and perceptions of their child’s development and behavioral difficulties are important to better support child development and wellbeing.