This study aimed to characterize father’s involvement in different types of activities related with the child, and that occur in day-to-day family lives. Next, we wanted to explore differences by family typology (nuclear vs divorced), parents age, education, working status/hours, income, and children’s characteristics as age and sex. Participants were 1771 Portuguese families, of which 74% were couples and 26% divorced families, with children between the ages of 2 and 6. Mothers education ranged from primary school to a university degree (M = 13.7, SD = 3.7) and 94.4% were employed (Mhours= 38.5, SD = 6.4). Fathers’ education ranged from primary school to a university degree (M = 12.4, SD = 4.1) and 98.4% worked (Mhours= 41.5, SD = 6.6). Instrument/Procedure: Both mothers and fathers independently completed a sociodemographic questionnaire (e.g., age, education, working status/schedule, family typology, income) and the “Parental Involvement Questionnaire: Child Care and Socialization Activities” (Monteiro et al., 2008) to assess the father’s relative involvement to the mother in 5 domains (Direct and Indirect Care; Play; Teaching/Discipline and Leisure Outside). A composite measure was computed by averaging both parents’ reports. Results showed that fathers’ involvement in 1) Direct Care had a significant and positive association with mothers' (r = .16***) and fathers' education (r = .17***), and a negative association with father's working hours (r = -.14***); 2) Indirect Care had significant positive associations with mothers' (r = .17***) and fathers' education (r = .21***), and a negative association with father's working hours (r = -.14***). 3) For Teaching/Discipline there is only a negative association with fathers’ education (r = -13***); 4) While for Play fathers' education is positively associated (r = .13***). No significant differences were found for any of fathers’ involvement dimensions, between married parents and divorced parents (Anova). When analyzing by child sex, results show that lower father involvement is associated with more father working hours more strongly when the child is a girl in Direct care (Girls' r = -.20 **; Boys' r = -.08, ns), Indirect care (Girls' r = -.20**; Boys' r = -.07), Teaching-Discipline (Girls' r = -.17 ***; Boys' r = .01), Play (Girls' r = -.14 **; Boys' r = -.03), and Leisure Outdoors (Girls' r = -.16 **; Boys' r = -.04). However, there is no relation between mothers' working hours (longer/shorter) and father involvement, which suggests that mothers tend to be involved in the same amount regardless of how long they work outside home. Results will be discussed in terms of the changing role of the father in the family, as well as the need to consider environmental influences affecting parenting, since it could be more sensitive to contextual influences that mothering.

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• Psicologia - Ciências Sociais
• Psicologia - Ciências Sociais