Montréal, June 11, 2024. – The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today Pratiques et attitudes parentales, relations, santé et bien-être des mères et des pères (Parenting practices and attitudes, relationships, and the health and well-being of mothers and fathers), based on its Growing Up in Québec longitudinal study. This study is following more than 4,000 children born in 2020–2021 until they reach adulthood. Its objective is to better understand what can influence the development and well-being of Québec children, and to connect the events they experience at different stages of their lives.
Initial data collected when the babies were five months old shows that the majority of their fathers (82%) report they are highly engaged in their relationship with their child. They actively participate in their role, from providing both physical care and emotional support to playing with their babies. They are also confident in their ability to effectively fulfill their role as parents (74%).
High levels of screen time among some parents
Screen usage habits vary greatly from one parent to the next. However, the study estimates that outside of working hours, the mothers of 1 in 5 babies spend an average of five hours or more using or watching screens during the week (21%) and on the weekend (21%). Among the babies’ fathers, these figures are estimated at 12% during the week and 24% on the weekend.
Many parents have high levels of depressive symptoms
In the week prior to the study, the mothers of about 29% of the babies and the fathers of about 14% of the babies reported symptoms severe enough to suggest probable clinical depression. It must be noted that the data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which had wide-ranging impacts on general mental health. Additionally, a significant proportion of babies had a mother (33%) or a father (26%) whose pace of life was considered very demanding (e.g., they often felt like they were rushing all day, were exhausted by the end of the day, or didn’t have enough time for themselves or their children).
Comparisons with parents who had a baby in the late 1990s
Compared with babies born in 1997–1998, the 2020–2021 cohort is less likely to have a father who is more coercive in his interactions with the child (e.g., who talks loudly or shouts when the baby is particularly difficult) (20% vs. 12%).
However, the babies born in 2020–2021 are more likely than those born in 1997–1998 to have an overprotective mother (18% vs. 30%).
Read the highlights (in French only)
Read the full report (PDF) (in French only)
About the study
The Growing Up in Québec study was started to fulfill a need for knowledge about the development of children born in Québec. This second edition of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development is carried out by the Institut de la statistique du Québec in collaboration with various partners, and is funded by the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, the Ministère de la Famille, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the Ministère de l’Éducation, the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, the Conseil de gestion de l’assurance parentale, and the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
The first data collection took place from May 2021 to March 2022, when most of the children were about 5 months old. These children will be monitored annually until the age of 7, meaning until they are in Grade 2. Afterwards, data should be collected every two years, as well as at certain key moments.
Learn more about Growing Up in Québec (2020–2021 cohort)
Learn more about the first edition of the study (1997–1998 cohort)
For 25 years, the Institut de la statistique du Québec has been producing, analyzing, and disseminating official, objective and high-quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.