Recent study from Oxford University reveals that a dad's emotional attachment and strong bond with his child has the most significant effect on a child’s behavior. Children of emotionally-involved fathers are almost 28% less likely to suffer from behavioral problems in their teens.
The study also showed that fathers who consistently gave emotional support to the mothers also influenced their children's positive behavior. Dads who are more confident with their parenting skills also tend to have a stronger connection with their family.
According to Maggie Redshaw, Ph.D., developmental and health psychologist at Oxford and co-author of research, "It is the emotional connection and the emotional response to actually being a parent that matters enormously in relation to later outcomes for children.”
The study is based on a sample size of almost 10,500 kids between 8 to 10 years old who were living with both their parents. The parents answered a questionnaire about their and their child’s mental health, their attitudes to parenting, time spent on childcare, and child behavior and development.