Responsivity in parent–child interactions is thought to be a key factor in supporting children’s early learning and development. Despite the empirically demonstrated importance of fathers for children’s development, most of the assessment tools for responsivity have not been validated on fathers, and many are too time consuming to utilize at the population level. The aim of this study was to validate an efficient (8-min) observational measure of responsivity in a sample of 155 fathers and their children (ages 5–12). The Responsive Interactions for Learning (RIFL) measure has been previously validated in mother–child and sibling dyads. To build a stronger understanding of fathers’ role in development it is essential to develop efficient and valid measures of father–child interaction quality. Furthermore, having a single measure that has been validated for use across family members can support family systems research. The RIFL for father–child dyads showed strong internal consistency and achieved interrater reliability. Its validity was demonstrated through its association with other, more time-consuming parenting measures and sociodemographic characteristics. Paternal responsivity was not associated with children’s outcomes. Results are discussed in the context of unique aspects of father–child relationships at different phases in children’s development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Public Significance Statement—With this simple and cost-effective new measure, it is possible to reliably assess the quality of father–child interactions in 8 min. This can enable population-level assessment for public health research and interventions targeting parenting.