SynthesisChild: care, health and development2026
Associations Between Paternal Sensitivity and Cognitive and Behavioural Outcomes in Preterm Children: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Child: care, health and development, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundChildren born preterm (PT) face elevated neurodevelopmental risk, yet the role of fathers' sensitive caregiving in this process remains understudied.
objectiveTo test whether observed paternal sensitivity predicts cognitive and behavioural outcomes in PT children and moderates prematurity-related risk.
methodsIndividual participant data (IPD) from two prospective cohorts in Australia and Israel (2009-2014) were pooled (N = 207; 151 PT, 56 term). Father-child and mother-child dyadic interactions at 6-12 months corrected age were observed and coded with the emotional availability (EA) sensitivity scale. Child cognition and behaviour were assessed at 5 years of age. Mixed-effects regressions controlled for sex, age, multiple birth, small-for-gestational-age status and maternal education.
resultsHigher paternal sensitivity predicted higher cognitive scores (β = 0.25 per SD, 95% confidence interval = [0.09, 0.41], p < 0.003). Paternal sensitivity was not related to children's later behavioural problems (-0.003 [-0.21, 0.20], p = 0.981). No gestational age × paternal sensitivity interaction emerged.
conclusionsSensitive fathering confers an additive, clinically meaningful benefit for cognitive function in both PT and term children, over and above social and medical risk. Early-intervention programs that actively engage fathers and support sensitive responsive interactions may enhance developmental trajectories in this vulnerable population.
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