Parents’ judgments of children’s gender-typed play indicate qualities of the early-life caregiving environment.

This study examined typologies of caregivers’ judgments toward their infants’ future engagement with toys and activities considered typical of same- and different-gender peers, and whether these judgments indicated qualities of the child-rearing environment. We conducted a latent profile analysis on a sample of 501 families with infant children in a large city in the Western United States (501 mothers, 388 fathers; 69% White, 16% Latinx, 8% African American). Results showed that parents could be classified as androgynous, stereotyped, counterstereotyped, or gender-impartial in their preferences for their child’s toys and activities. Mothers who displayed androgynous and counterstereotyped preferences—primarily conveying approval different-gender-typed play—were rated higher on objective assessments of the quality of the home environment and parent–child interactions. How parents orient to cultural gendered messages for children’s play may have implications for the overall parenting environment. We discuss implications for research and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Journal of Family Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research