Muuttuuko isien vertaistuen tarve lapsen syntymän jälkeisinä vuosina? Seurantatutkimus isien suhtautumisesta vertaistukeen ja vertaistuen kehittämiseen

Authors

• Marko Lähteenmäki University of Turku, Finland
• Päivi Pihlaja University of Turku, University of Helsinki, Finland
• Eero Laakkonen University of Turku, Finland

Keywords:

Attitudes, Asenteet, early childhood, isyys, fatherhood, varhaislapsuus, peer support, vertaistuki

Abstract

This study examined Finnish nuclear and stepfamily fathers’ with small children and their attitudes towards peer support and development of father-to father discussion. We gathered the fathers’ self-reported answers when their children were one (n = 1069) and three years old (n = 720). The data for the current study were derived from the Steps to the Healthy Development and Well-being of Children follow-up study. Results from the Confirmatory factor analysis suggest that father-to-father discussion is important, especially for first-time fathers. Fathers with high socioeconomic status have less need to develop peer support during their children’s infant- to toddlerhood. Our results indicate that need of peer support and development of peer support is an important, but not permanent phenomenon that gradually decreases after children’s first years.