“But the boss here is my wife”: Japanese fathers reflecting on their parental (in)competence and child maltreatment

In Japan, many fathers consider their spouse to be their children’s primary parent while casting themselves in a supporting role. Yet, in the majority (>70%) of reported child maltreatment cases in Japan, the child’s father is recorded as the perpetrator. The present study qualitatively examines fathers’ experiences of parenting anxiety, focussing on those relevant to maltreatment. Eleven fathers from low-risk, middle-class families with pre-school aged children were interviewed on their experiences as a parent, particularly about times when they felt anxious, stressed or challenged. Data analysis followed a grounded theory approach. It revealed that fathers wish to contribute to the lives of their children in a supportive and nurturing way. However, participants felt incompetent as caregivers and experienced social pressure to be less involved as a parent than they would like. The fathers reported that they were more likely to maltreat their children, especially boys, in situations which triggered anxiety and frustration. Anxiety was particularly heightened when they feared public embarrassment. These findings are discussed with reference to the Japanese social and cultural context, and contrasted with previous research into the parenting experiences of Japanese mothers. The findings indicate that fathers may benefit from tailored support programmes which strengthen their self-efficacy before building resilience for the challenging situations they may encounter as fathers.