Rough‐and‐tumble play and the regulation of aggression: an observational study of father–child play dyads

Abstract

Rough-and-tumble play (RTP) is a common form of play between fathers and children. It has been suggested that RTP can contribute to the development of selfregulation. This study addressed the hypothesis that the frequency of father-child RTP is related to the frequency of physically aggressive behavior in early childhood. This relationship was expected to be moderated by the dominance relationship between father and son during play. Eighty-five children between the ages of 2 and 6 years were videotaped during a free-play session with their fathers in their homes and questionnaire data was collected about father-child RTP frequency during the past year. The play dyads were rated for the degree to which the father dominated play interactions. A significant statistical interaction revealed that RTP frequency was associated with higher levels of physical aggression in children whose fathers were less dominant. These results indicate that RTP is indeed related to physical aggression, though this relationship is moderated by the degree to which the father is a dominant playmate.

Rough and Tumble Play and gender in kindergarten: Perceptions of kindergarten teachers

“…In this way, the child's later preferences and play choices are gradually formed and are seen in the kindergarten (Carlson, 2011;Flanders et al, 2009;Stevenson, 2014). Thus, under the impact of the "gender habitus", boys prefer RTP to a greater extent than the girls and, indeed, they choose competitive power plays, whereas girls choose lighter forms of RTP (Pellegrini & Smith, 1998;Storli, 2013).…”

“…In these studies, the participation of gender in RTP is examined (see : Boulton, 1996;Jarvis, 2004;Storli, 2013), or there is an approach concerning the teachers' or parents' perceptions on RTP (see : Coplan, Bullock, Archbell, & Bosacki, 2015;Di Carlo, Baumgartner, Ota, & Jenkins, 2015;Fletcher, May, St George, Morgan, & Lubans, 2011;Tannock, 2008). There is also observation research on RTP developing among father and son and, consequently, apprehension of the impact on the boys' behavior forming and plays at school (see : Flanders, Leo, Paquette, Pihl, & Séguin, 2009;McBride-Chang & Nagy Jacklin, 1993). The research to be presented is the first carried out in Greece and there is an attempt to contribute to academic literature, offering a picture of how gender affects RTP choice in kindergarten.…”

Gender Differences in Rough and Tumble Play Behaviors

“…Flanders et al (2009) and Tannock (2011) found from their observations of children playing that boys and girls engaged in RTP with similar frequencies. However, Colwell and Lindsey (2005) found that boys engaged in RTP more frequently than girls.…”

“…In comparison, emotional regulation in girls was positively associated with fantasy and sociodramatic play. Flanders et al (2009) conducted a study in Canada to understand the fatherchild play relationship and regulation of children's aggressive behavior based on observations that "fathers tend to stimulate their children physically, emotionally, and cognitively during play" (p. 286). A sample of 85 father-child dyads participated in the study, with an almost equal number of boys (n = 43) and girls (n = 42) who ranged in age from 2 through 6 years.…”

“…Although research has focused on the benefits for boys of being able to express caring and affection toward peers during RTP, all children benefit from opportunities to establish relationships, develop social competence, and practice emotional regulation (LaFreniere, 2013). Rather than discouraging RTP, Flanders et al (2009) propose that aggression can be regulated through RTP with the guidance of adults.…”