148
Views
133
PDF Downloads
Open Access
Fathering and Early Childhood Adjustment in Polygamous Families: A Case Study Analysis
Main Article Content
Abstract
Polygamous family structures present unique challenges to early childhood development, particularly in terms of emotional security, social adaptability, and access to paternal care, yet remain underexplored in academic research. This study explores the role of fathering in shaping early childhood adjustment within polygamous family structures. It investigates how different levels of paternal involvement, such as caregiving, emotional support, and educational engagement, affect children's social and emotional development. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation involving two fathers who live separately from one or more of their wives and serve as the sole economic providers in their households. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns of fathering practices and their relation to children's adjustment outcomes. Findings reveal stark contrasts between the two parenting approaches. One father demonstrated high engagement, shared household responsibilities, and fostered autonomy in educational decision-making, contributing to the child’s emotional security and social adaptability. In contrast, the other father adhered to traditional and authoritative roles, fully delegating caregiving to his wives and limiting his children’s external social exposure, which may hinder their emotional development and peer interaction. This study highlights the importance of culturally contextualized fathering and calls for inclusive parenting programs that accommodate diverse family structures, especially within polygamous contexts. However, the study is limited by its small sample size and context-specific focus, which may constrain the broader applicability of its conclusions. Future research is recommended to involve more diverse participants across regions and apply longitudinal methods to explore long-term patterns of fathering and early childhood development within varied family configurations.
Keywords:
Downloads
Metrics
Article Details
How to Cite
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal, provided that the work is not used for commercial purposes.
- Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Privacy Statement
The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.
References
Adenike, A. O. (2013). Effects of Family Type (Monogamy or Polygamy) on Students’ Academic Achievement in Nigeria. International Journal of Psychology and Counselling, 5(7), 153–156.
Al-Krenawi, A. (2014). Psychosocial Impact of Polygamy in the Middle East (1, Ed.). Springer.
Al-Krenawi, A., & Slonim-Nevo, V. (2008). Psychosocial and Familial Functioning of Children from Polygynous and Monogamous Families. Journal of Social Psychology, 148(6), 745–764.
Anwar, M., Rurkinantia, A., Cholid, I., Fajri, R., Rofiqoh, N. I. F., F, B. M. S. B., Sari, S. M., Diani, N. F., & Hanifah, S. N. (2024). Seminar Parenting: Peran Ayah dalam Pengasuhan Anak Usia Dini di Desa Tanjunganom, Kecamatan Rowosari, Kabupaten Kendal. Jurnal Pelayanan Masyarakat. https://doi.org/10.62951/jpm.v1i3.462
Bahari, I. S. (2021). Psychological Impact of Polygamous Marriage on Women and Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(1), 823.
Cabrera, N., Moon, U. J., Fagan, J., West, J., & Aldoney, D. (2020). Cognitive Stimulation at Home and in Child Care and Children’s Preacademic Skills in Two-Parent Families. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13380
Daoud, N., Shoham-Vardi, I., Urquia, M. L., & O’Campo, P. (2014). Polygamy and Poor Mental Health among Arab Bedouin Women: Do Socioeconomic Position and Social Support Matter? Ethnicity and Health, 19(4), 385–405.
Diniz, E., Brandão, T., Monteiro, L., & Veríssimo, M. (2021). Father Involvement During Early Childhood: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Family Theory & Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/JFTR.12410
Diniz, E., Brandão, T., & Veríssimo, M. (2023). Father involvement during early childhood: A systematic review of qualitative studies. Family Relations. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12858
Doodman, P. (2015). A Study on the Marital Relation Between Polygamous Couples in Marital Satisfaction, Jealousy and Affection in Couples and Comparing The First and Second Wife in Polygamous Families (Case Study: Lamerd County).
Gadsden, V. L., Fagan, J., Ray, A., & Davis, J. E. (2004). Fathering Indicators for Practice and Evaluation: The Fathering Indicators Framework. In Conceptualizing and Measuring Father Involvement (pp. 385–415).
Gao, D., Liu, J., Xu, L., Mesman, J., & Van Geel, M. (2022). Early Adolescent Social Anxiety: Differential Associations for Fathers’ and Mothers’ Psychologically Controlling and Autonomy-Supportive Parenting. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51, 1858–1871. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01636-y
Hipson, W., Coplan, R., & Séguin, D. (2019). Active emotion regulation mediates links between shyness and social adjustment in preschool. Social Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/SODE.12372
Huttunen, J., & Eerola, P. (2016). The Cultural and Policy Context of Fatherhood. In Father Involvement in the Early Years: An International Comparison of Policy and Practice (p. 29).
Jeong, J., Siyal, S., Fink, G., McCoy, D., & Yousafzai, A. (2018). “His mind will work better with both of us”: A qualitative study on fathers’ roles and coparenting of young children in rural Pakistan. BMC Public Health, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6143-9
Karaçelik-Varol, Ş., & Bekir, H. (2024). Out of the mouths of children: An investigation of 48- to 72-month-old children’s perceptions of father involvement. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 33, 533–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2024.2391975
Kee, R. C. S., & Hassan, S. A. (2020). Systematic Review: Agreement and Impacts on Wives and Children Well-Being of Polygamous Family Structure. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(13).
Lindsey, E. (2022). Shared positive emotion during parent-toddler play and parent and child well-being in Mexican origin families. Infant Behavior & Development, 67, 101706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101706
Moleong, L. (2002). Metode Penelitian Kualitatif. CV Remaja.
Nair, S., Chandramohan, S., Sundaravathanam, N., Rajasekaran, A., & Sekhar, R. (2020). Father Involvement in Early Childhood Care: Insights From a MEL System in a Behavior Change Intervention Among Rural Indian Parents. Frontiers in Public Health, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00516
Naseer, S., Khan, W. A., & Malik, F. (2021). A Study On Jealousy, Marital Satisfaction, and Mental Health Comparing The First and Second Wife in Pakistani Polygynous Families. Perspectives on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2, 34–42.
Özer, A., Orhan, F. Ö., & Ekerbiçer, H. Ç. (2013). Sociodemographic Variables and Depression in Turkish Women From Polygamous Versus Monogamous Families. Health Care for Women International, 34(11), 1024–1034.
Planalp, E., & Braungart-Rieker, J. (2016). Determinants of father involvement with young children: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association, 30 1, 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000156
Puteri, I. A. W., & Rudi, R. (2021). Peran Pengasuhan Ayah Terhadap Kemampuan Penyesuaian Diri Anak Usia Dini. Jurnal Pelita PAUD, 6(1), 7–14.
Rabia, R. A. (2017). Trapped Between National Boundaries and Patriarchal Structures: Palestinian Bedouin Women and Polygamous Marriage in Israel. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 48(3), 339–349.
Sari, P. I. (2022). Studi Pengetahuan tentang Kesehatan Reproduksi Remaja di Pondok Pesantren Al-Jamiyatul Mushliyah Tj. Haloban Labuhan Batu Tahun 2022. http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/3170
Shepard, L. D. (2013). The Impact of Polygamy on Women’s Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 22(1), 47–62.
Sinai, M., & Peleg, O. (2021). Marital Interactions and Experiences of Women Living in Polygamy: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Psychology, 56(3), 361–377.
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content Analysis and Thematic Analysis: Implications for Conducting a Qualitative Descriptive Study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405.
Wijayanti, R. M., & Fauziah, P. Y. (2020). Keterlibatan Ayah Dalam Pengasuhan Anak. JIV-Jurnal Ilmiah Visi, 15(2), 95–106.