Fathers boost daughters’ maths, sons’ language skills

A father's love can have a special influence on young adults, while it can boost the maths grades of the teenage daughter, it may improve the language skills in the sons, researchers said.

This is even true for men with low levels of education or those who were not proficient enough in English to help their children with their homework.
"Low-income fathers affect their adolescents' beliefs about themselves and their future, and these beliefs influence their achievement by increasing their determination," said Marie-Anne Suizzo from the University of Texas in the US.

Experiencing their father's warmth first influences daughters' sense of optimism and then spills over into their feeling more determined and certain about their academic abilities. This in turn leads to better math grades.

There is a more direct link between the father's involvement and teenage boy's belief in their ability to succeed on the academic front. Fathers' involvement with teenage boys' belief in their ability to succeed on the academic front, results in heightened self-confidence and their success in English language, arts classes, the researchers explained.

Counsellors and educators should encourage fathers to communicate warmth and acceptance to their children, because of the positive influence these emotions have on their well-being, Suizzo suggested.