View in EDS

Effectiveness of Father-Child Number Application Activities in Promoting Chinese Preschoolers' Number Skills and Number Interest

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Effectiveness of Father-Child Number Application Activities in Promoting Chinese Preschoolers' Number Skills and Number Interest
Language: English
Authors: Xinzhuo Zou (ORCID 0000-0002-0020-0964), Xiao Zhang (ORCID 0000-0001-6572-4411), Hao Li
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 118(3):404-420.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Fathers, Parent Role, Preschool Children, Numeracy, Interests, Intervention, Story Reading, Mathematics Activities, Mathematics Skills, Program Effectiveness, Gender Differences, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000997
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: This study examined whether promoting fathers' engagement in real-world numeracy activities, or number application activities, with their preschool-aged children would enhance the children's number skills and number interest. The fathers of 86 Chinese children (age: M ± SD = 56.77 ± 8.19 months) were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition (n = 44) or the active control condition (n = 42). Over the 4-month study period, fathers in the intervention condition received training on how to engage their children in number application activities, while those in the control condition were trained in storybook reading. Children's number skills and number interest were assessed in the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest. Regression analyses showed that children whose fathers were in the intervention condition demonstrated more improvements in number skills in the posttest than those with fathers in the control condition. However, this effect was not sustained from the posttest to the delayed posttest. Although no immediate intervention effects were observed on children's number interest, the intervention led to more improvements in mother-reported child interest in the delayed posttest. These findings highlight the benefits of involving fathers in early math education and the importance of embedding math learning in real-life contexts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507559
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1507559
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Effectiveness of Father-Child Number Application Activities in Promoting Chinese Preschoolers' Number Skills and Number Interest
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xinzhuo+Zou%22">Xinzhuo Zou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0020-0964">0000-0002-0020-0964</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiao+Zhang%22">Xiao Zhang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6572-4411">0000-0001-6572-4411</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hao+Li%22">Hao Li</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 118(3):404-420.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 17
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fathers%22">Fathers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Role%22">Parent Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Numeracy%22">Numeracy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interests%22">Interests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Story+Reading%22">Story Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Activities%22">Mathematics Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Skills%22">Mathematics Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1037/edu0000997
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study examined whether promoting fathers' engagement in real-world numeracy activities, or number application activities, with their preschool-aged children would enhance the children's number skills and number interest. The fathers of 86 Chinese children (age: M ± SD = 56.77 ± 8.19 months) were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition (n = 44) or the active control condition (n = 42). Over the 4-month study period, fathers in the intervention condition received training on how to engage their children in number application activities, while those in the control condition were trained in storybook reading. Children's number skills and number interest were assessed in the pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest. Regression analyses showed that children whose fathers were in the intervention condition demonstrated more improvements in number skills in the posttest than those with fathers in the control condition. However, this effect was not sustained from the posttest to the delayed posttest. Although no immediate intervention effects were observed on children's number interest, the intervention led to more improvements in mother-reported child interest in the delayed posttest. These findings highlight the benefits of involving fathers in early math education and the importance of embedding math learning in real-life contexts.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1507559
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1507559
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1037/edu0000997
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 404
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Fathers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Numeracy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Story Reading
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Effectiveness of Father-Child Number Application Activities in Promoting Chinese Preschoolers' Number Skills and Number Interest
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xinzhuo Zou
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Xiao Zhang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hao Li
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0022-0663
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1939-2176
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 118
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Educational Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1