Table 3.

Model coefficients for the simple mediation analysis of the association between duration of paternal leave and father-infant bonding through weekly hours spent on childcare without confounders.

		Consequent
		M (Weekly hours spent on)				Y (Father-infant bondingb)
		childcare)
Antecedent		Coeff.	SE	p		Coeff.	SE	p
X (Duration of paternal leavea)	a	0.996	0.369	0.007	c'	−0.448	0.233	0.055
M (Weekly hours spent on childcare)		—	—	—	b	0.074	0.029	0.010
Constant	iM	24.917	0.870	< 0.001	iY	111.605	0.909	< 0.001
		R2 = 0.015				R2 = 0.020
		F(1, 511) = 7.289, p = 0.007				F(2, 510) = 4.696, p = 0.009

Simple mediation analysis using ordinary least square regression. Heteroscedasticity consistent standard errors (HC3) employed. N = 513. Outliers and extreme values excluded. X, predictor variable; M, mediator variable; Y, outcome variable; a, effect of X on M; b, effect of M on Y; c', direct effect of X on Y, estimates the difference between X and Y holding M constant; Coeff., unstandardized path coefficients. Significant associations (p < 0.05) are in boldface.

^aSum of all paternal leave periods in months until T3.

^bPostpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ); reversed items so that higher scores indicate a higher level of father-infant bonding.