Developments in Involved Fatherhood in Hungary: A Register Database Analysis

This study investigates developments in involved fatherhood in Hungary. Drawing on the concepts of involved fatherhood and caring masculinities and recent findings on Hungarian caring fathering practices, the analysis employs multinomial logistic regression to examine Hungarian register data from 2011 and 2022. The dependent variable distinguishes between three categories: GYES (childcare allowance paid at a fixed rate), GYED Extra (childcare benefit combined with employment), and GYED Home (childcare benefit without a work commitment). Independent variables include educational attainment, marital status, regional context, employment type, and household status. A key contribution of this study was the emergence of a new group: fathers who interrupt their paid employment to care for their child, demonstrating the pluralisation of paternal roles. The sample shows that the norms of caring fatherhood have differentiated: In addition to the classical role of head of the family, there is more space for forms of care independent of work. The analysis revealed that this form of care has been spreading in Hungarian society independently of other contextual variables (region and educational attainment). These results underscore the interaction between institutional policies and evolving norms, highlighting the diversification of fatherhood models in contemporary Hungarian society.