A Study on the Relationships between Maternal Gatekeeping and Paternal Involvement in Taiwan

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between maternal gatekeeping and paternal involvement. To do so, we examined 737 married mothers from five major cities in Taiwan. The instruments were the Maternal Gatekeeping Inventory developed based on Allen & Hawkins (1999) Maternal Gatekeeping Scale and the Paternal Involvement Inventory developed based on Lamb(1987). Paternal Involvement Scale. Mothers reported on perceived maternal gatekeeping and paternal involvement. The results of multiple regression analyses are concluded as follows. (1)The “standard and responsibility” and “separate family role” levels of maternal gatekeeping can significant predict overall paternal involvement. (2) The “standard and responsibility” and “separate family role” levels of maternal gatekeeping can significant predict the interaction level of paternal involvement. (3) The “standard and responsibility” and “separate family role” levels of maternal gatekeeping can significant predict the accessibility level of paternal involvement. (4) The “standard and responsibility” and “separate family role” levels of maternal gatekeeping can significant predict the responsibility level of paternal involvement. These results suggested that maternal gatekeeping plays a more significant role vis-a-vis paternal involvement on Taiwan mother behavior. These results are further discussed as reference for academia and suggestions for future research are also proposed.