In order to promote higher father involvement, we need to better understand factors promoting or undermining it, considering that fatherhood is influenced by different levels of variables (e.g., Cabrera et al., 2007, 2014; Parke, 1996). The first aim was to identify profiles of fathers based on their involvement in: direct and indirect care, play, teaching/discipline activities, and leisure activities. Based on the identified father’s profiles, we aimed to understand if they differ in terms of parental sense of competence and work-family balance (strains and gains). 250 fathers with pre-school age children (130 boys) participated in the study. Instruments: “Parental Involvement Questionnaire: Child Care and Socialization Activities” (Monteiro et al., 2008), “The Sense of Competence Scale” (Johnston & Mash, 1989), and “Combining Work and Family” (NICHD, 1991). Results: A k-means cluster analysis was performed, resulting in a two-cluster solution (Figure 1): Care-helpers and play companions (N=68), and Care-givers and play companions (N=181). A significant multivariate effect [V=.62,F(5,243)=79.03,p<.001,?p^2=.62] and consequent significant univariate effects for all involvement dimensions were found, confirming that the profiles represent two statistically different groups. A significant multivariate effect [V=.12,F(6,240)=5.37,p<.001,?p^2=.12] was found between the involvement profiles, father’s education level and working hours, sense of competence, and work-family balance (Table 1). A univariate effect was found for father’s education level, sense of competence, and strains from work and family. Results will be discussed in terms of the need to consider individual and contextual variables do better understand and promote father’s involvement (Cabrera et al., 2018).

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father involvement,sense of competence,work/family conflict

• Psicologia - Ciências Sociais