FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- When Dads cheer on their daughters at soccer matches, their support helps much more than the score.
A new study finds fathers who are interested in their daughters' activities -- whether traditionally masculine pursuits such as sports or traditionally feminine ones such as music -- increase the chances that the girls will stay involved with those activities. And this continued participation bodes well for the girls' development.
Findings from other studies have shown that girls who remain involved with constructive activities outside of school -- especially sports -- benefit in many ways, including skill-building, identity development and psychological well-being, said Susan McHale, a professor of human development at Penn State University. She is also the lead author of the new study that gauges what influences girls to participate in so-called "sex-typed activities."
"Mothers are there in childhood and get things started for their daughters, but to keep them involved in so-called masculine activities, like sports, takes a father's interest," McHale said.
The new research appears in the September-October issue of Child Development.
For the study, McHale and her colleagues followed 290 girls, aged 8 through 15, and their parents, for several years. The goal: To determine how the girls' interests; the interests of their parents, including the parents' gender role attitudes; testosterone levels in the girls, and peer pressure might affect how the girls chose to spend their free time.
The girls were divided fairly evenly into three groups -- middle childhood, with an average age of 8; early adolescence, with an average age of 12; and middle adolescence, with an average age of 15.
Through a series of three at-home interviews with the families, as well as follow-up phone calls on seven evenings following each interview, the researchers charted how the girls spent their free time. Questions included how many times they had participated each day in a list of approximately 30 activities identified as stereotypically masculine -- such as sports, model-building, hunting or fishing -- or traditionally feminine -- art, music and dance. They were asked how long they had pursued each activity during the day and with whom.
In addition, the girls provided saliva samples in the second and third years of the study so the researchers could determine their testosterone levels and assess how biological factors might be influencing activity choices. Testosterone is a male hormone that typically increases from middle childhood through adolescence in both boys and girls.
The age when the girls recorded the highest levels of traditionally feminine activities was during middle childhood. And the highest levels of traditionally masculine activities were reported in early adolescence, up to the age of 13, and then declined through age 17.
Of all the variables, the most significant influences on the girls' choices of how they spent their time were their own personalities and their parents' interest in their activities, McHale said, rather than testosterone levels, peer group influences or parents' views of gender roles.
"Our findings suggest that parents, particularly fathers in middle adolescence, influence their daughters," McHale said.
When a daughter reaches puberty, it can be an uncomfortable time for a father, McHale said, "but there are fathers who are able to express their interest in their daughters' different types of activities, and daughters will pick up on this."
Dr. John D. O'Brien, a psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, said it makes sense that a parent's involvement with a child's activity would influence the child's participation.
"This transcends gender and has to do with a mutual respect and admiration between the parent and child. It is a recognition of competence by the parent for the child and the process of enjoying an experience together," he said.
More information
For more on positive parenting, visit the Nemours Foundation.
