Study finds fathers and babies start dialogues within weeks

A study by the Paracelsus Medical Private University in Salzburg, reported by ORF, has found that fathers and babies begin early forms of dialogue within weeks of birth, helping to strengthen their bond.

Researchers analysed how fathers and babies communicate and found that even babies only a few weeks old imitate their fathers when they sit opposite them and make facial expressions.

Study author Selina Ismair of the university’s Early Life Care Institute said fathers were an additional important attachment figure, giving children opportunities to experiment and gain experience. She said both mothers and fathers played an important role in communicating with their children.

Study participant Johannes Hammermeister said a longer period of parental leave for fathers had helped him develop a particularly strong bond with his daughter. Spending all his time with the child, rather than working, made a clear difference, he said, and he recommended it to other fathers.

The researchers also examined fathers’ mentalisation skills, or their ability to understand their children’s feelings and needs. Ismair said this ability was important for children to develop perspective-taking and sensitivity to others, supporting both language development and social and emotional skills.

The Early Life Care Institute has been researching pregnancy, birth and the first years of life for 10 years. Its researchers are seeking fathers for another study examining how smartphones affect interactions with babies.