Does She Let Me In? Fathers' Perception of Maternal Gatekeeping and Their Parenting Involvement in Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the associations between fathers’ perceptions of maternal behaviors (specifically encouragement, discouragement, and control) and their self-reported involvement in childcare. Drawing from social cognition theory, we reframed maternal gatekeeping as a subjective interpretation influencing paternal engagement. Data from 546 fathers (M age = 38.8) with children aged 6–12 were analyzed using multiple regression. Results showed that fathers’ perceptions accounted for 27.3% of the variance in involvement. Perceived maternal encouragement had the strongest positive association ( $β = . 411, p < . 001$ ), followed by perceived control ( $β = . 145, p = . 002$ ), while discouragement showed a modest negative association. Notably, 96.52% of fathers reported high involvement, challenging deficit narratives about Indonesian fatherhood. In this collectivist context, fathers may interpret maternal control as coordination rather than restriction. The findings emphasize centering fathers’ voices in coparenting research and highlight the need for culturally sensitive interventions that recognize the nuanced role of maternal gatekeeping in shaping paternal engagement.

Keywords

father involvement maternal gatekeeping coparenting family dynamics Indonesia social cognition

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