Most research on parenthood has traditionally focused on how children benefit from having a father figure. However, more attention is gradually being paid to the value of fatherhood for men themselves. Not only do children benefit greatly from having involved and engaged fathers, but men also gain from this bond, and this holds true across different economic backgrounds. Research has shown many positive effects of fatherhood for men, with fathers finding the time spent with their children rewarding and fulfilling on many levels.
As many fathers will tell you, dads can learn a great deal from spending both quality and quantity time with their children. This experience often changes their perspective on the world. While much is known about the psychological benefits children gain from having a loving father, recent research is showing that fathers also benefit emotionally from the bond they share with their children, largely due to oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone."
The emotional benefits of fatherhood are closely linked to how involved fathers are in their children's lives. In 1989, Marjory Roberts reported about the findings of a longitudinal study of over 200 fathers. The study revealed that being a father had positive psychological effects, specifically by helping men develop greater empathy and compassion. This finding aligns with Erik Erikson's theory of "generativity," which suggests that people reach full maturity when they contribute to the lives of younger generations.
Another positive takeaway from this study was that, contrary to popular belief, men's careers did not suffer when they became fathers or increased their involvement in their children's lives. In fact, as many studies have shown, children benefit greatly from having their fathers around. Both boys and girls became more confident, mature, and independent adults when raised by an engaged father, according to a study by psychologists Joseph Pleck, John Snarey, and Anthony Maier. These experts declared that fatherhood is a win-win experience for both the child and the parent. “The role of the father is just as important as the role of the mother,” Snarey noted, a sentiment that many fathers probably already believed but were happy to have confirmed.
Richard Taylor, a retired philosophy professor, shared personal experiences that supported these findings. In 1987, at the age of 67, Taylor had both a 39 year old son and a one year old son. This 40 year gap between his children gave him a unique perspective on how fatherhood had changed for him and for older fathers in general. Taylor attended classes before the birth of his new child and was present for the delivery experiences he had not had for his first child in 1948. He admitted to being clueless about basic infant care for his new son, something that surprised his much younger wife, given that he was not a first time father.
For Taylor, the experience of having a child later in life was profound, a common feeling among older fathers. As a younger man, he had been deeply invested in his career and social life. But now, he felt “free to focus completely on my wife and child.” With no competing interests and the wisdom gained from life, he developed a new and different form of love for his son (named Aristotle), which he described as “joy.” The mental health benefits of receiving unconditional love from a child are well documented, but less attention has been given to the rewards of offering that same love to a child something Taylor found to be an extraordinary experience.
Neuroscientific research on fatherhood backs up such personal stories. “When men become fathers, they undergo brain changes that benefit their children,” Brian Mossop explained in 'Scientific American Mind' in 2011. Both the father's and the child's brains are forever altered shortly after birth. A biochemical bond is quickly established between fathers and their children, similar to the one formed between mothers and their babies during pregnancy.
More specifically, fathers’ brains are wired to respond to any threat to their newborns’ comfort and survival, just one way that oxytocin influences early paternal behavior. Neuroscientists are discovering that fathers’ and children’s brains work together, with each party benefiting from the other’s influence. Men even grow new neurons after becoming fathers, studies have shown, which is nature’s way of strengthening the emotional connection that will benefit the child throughout life.
If the idea of a mental partnership between father and child isn’t surprising enough, a father’s brain also adjusts its hormonal output and neural activity based on his parenting responsibilities. Fathers’ brains can shift between being wired for social bonding and protection and being wired for planning and problem solving, according to a 2014 study published in 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences', adapting based on the situation.
While nurturing is undeniably important in parenting, researchers are increasingly finding that biology plays a crucial role in shaping a person’s behavior. The research suggests that being a “good” parent may be more about the brain’s wiring than previously thought. Although fatherhood has existed as long as humans, we are now entering a new phase of understanding it, with many exciting discoveries undoubtedly on the horizon.