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Fathers’ Emotional Availability with Their Children: Determinants and Consequences

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Handbook of Fathers and Child Development

Abstract

There is consistent evidence that positive father-child interactions contribute to better developmental outcomes in children. Emotional availability (EA) as one specific aspect describing positive dyadic interactions reflects the affective quality in exchange between caregivers and children. In this chapter, we discuss similarities and differences between fathers and mothers regarding EA, and investigate potential influencing factors on father-child EA, such as characteristics of fathers, children, and the social context. Furthermore, effects which father-child EA exerts on child development are addressed as well as potential ways to improve paternal EA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Sarah Bergmann

  2. International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Sarah Bergmann & Annette M. Klein

Authors
  1. Sarah Bergmann
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  2. Annette M. Klein
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Correspondence to Sarah Bergmann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Hiram E. Fitzgerald

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany

    Kai von Klitzing

  3. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Natasha J. Cabrera

  4. Graduate Program in Educational Psychology, Centro Universitário FIEO, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil

    Júlia Scarano de Mendonça

  5. Division of Mental Health, Akershus University Hospital HF, Lørenskog, Norway

    Thomas Skjøthaug

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Bergmann, S., Klein, A.M. (2020). Fathers’ Emotional Availability with Their Children: Determinants and Consequences. In: Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N.J., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, T. (eds) Handbook of Fathers and Child Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_20

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