Antecedents and roles of maternal gatekeeping: A structural equation model linking father involvement to children's socioemotional outcomes
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, vol.89, pp.558-575, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 89
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1016/j.pedn.2026.05.009
- Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Nursing
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, MEDLINE
- Page Numbers: pp.558-575
- Keywords: Child behavior, Cooperative behavior, Family relations, Gender roles, Intergenerational relations
- Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Purpose The present study aimed to examine the indirect effects of maternal gatekeeping (MG) and father involvement (FI) on the associations between the antecedents of maternal gatekeeping—namely, mothers' perceptions of their own mothers' gatekeeping, maternal neuroticism, maternal adherence to traditional gender roles, and perceived spousal support—and children's social skills and problem behaviors. Design and methods Data were collected through questionnaires from 1013 parent dyads ( n = 2026), and structural equation modeling was conducted. Results In the initial model, where father involvement was specified as the outcome, maternal gatekeeping was confirmed to mediate the relationship between its antecedents and father involvement. Additionally, spousal support perceived by mothers emerged as a critical factor for father involvement. In the final models examining simultaneous indirect effects, father involvement appeared to play a protective role in reducing children's problem behaviors—though not in enhancing social skills—against the negative influences of maternal neuroticism and grandmaternal gatekeeping for increasing maternal gatekeeping. Moreover, perceived spousal support and mothers' egalitarian attitudes were associated with reduced maternal gatekeeping and increased father involvement, which in turn were positively related to children's socio-emotional outcomes. Conclusions Overall, the findings suggest that maternal gatekeeping is most strongly associated with perceived grandmaternal gatekeeping and adherence to traditional gender roles, implying that gatekeeping may be influenced by intergenerational cultural transmission. Implications These findings highlight the need for child and family practitioners to incorporate a family systems perspective, emphasizing interventions that strengthen co-parenting dynamics and promote active father involvement to support children's socio-emotional well-being.