The relationships between marital adjustment, satisfaction with parenting and actual parental behavior were assessed for a sample of fmt-time parents. Results indicated that there were consistent relationships between fathers' satisfaction scores and their own behaviors, but few relationships between mothers' behaviors and satisfaction scores. It was suggested that the determinants of the behavior of mothers and fathers may differ. In the absence of specific socialization of fathers into a caregiving role, fathers' caregiving style may become organized and develop primarily in the context of their relationships with their spouses.
The legitimization of fathers as a focus of study during the period of their children's infancy has led several authors to comment on the direction in which father research has been proceeding. In a recent review of research on fathers' participation in infant socialization, McGreal' argued that father-infant research that mimics mother-infant research paradigms may obscure our understanding of the range of contributions fathers m a y make to infant development. Belsky2 and Pedersen' have argued convincingly that it would be fruitful to pursue the study of fathers by viewing them in a family context. They note that, rather than focusing exclusively on the potential direct effects of father-infant and mother-infant interaction, investigations of the antecedents of child development should be expanded to include indirect, or secondorder effects as well. For example, it would be reasonable to study the extent to which the parents' relationship with each other (as marital partners) influences each parent's behavior with the infant.