When fathers are stressed out about parenting, it may take a toll on their children’s development. In a study that included 730 families, researchers found that sons were more likely to have poorer language skills at age three when their fathers had high levels of stress associated with parenting. Furthermore, both boys and girls of stressed fathers usually scored lower on tests of cognition. Dr. Michael Yogman, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health adds, “This new study supports a wealth of research showing that fathers play an important role in their children’s cognitive and behavioral development.”
Infant and Child Development and Early Childhood Research Quarterly, July 2016