A united study done by three high profile colleges and universities from England have released a study that shows how a father can significantly impact the mental and cognitive development in babies. These educational institutions are the Oxford University, King’s College London and Imperial College London, and their study can be found as the Infant Mental Health Journal.
The study shoes that the presence and implications of a father in day to day activities contribute to a significant grow in the child’s developmental stage. The study has been done on father and three month old babies and have observed the development for a year after that.
According to the test, the babies who’ve had a father that is present in their life during this period have had significantly better results in a series of tests later as they grew up. The researchers explained that many things factor into the healthy development of a child, but a father-child relationship is something that makes quite a large difference. This influence is so meaningful that it can drastically change the outcome of the child’s mental growth.
The information has been gathered from approximately 130 fathers, and several factors have been taken into consideration. While certain factors might also contribute to the overall result, like age and overall income, it is undeniable what a positive influence a father can have on the babies. And the later tests that have been conducted on the babies confirm this due to their high scores.
The tests were done using a standardized index, called the mental development index, or MDI and it has shown to be positive in these babies regardless of them being boys or girls. According to the lead researcher of the study, Professor Ramchandani, fathers should try as much as possible to be involved in the growth of their children to increase their chances of a healthy cognitive growth.
