Fatherlessness (Academic Resources)
Title: Lived experiences of adolescent boys with absent fathers
Publication: International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science
Authors: Kgethego Terrance Phasha, Makhubele Jabulani Calvin & Jocomina Malebo Mokone
Link: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i5.1854
Summary: The purpose of this study was to comprehend the experiences of teenage males who are fatherless. The goals were to investigate their difficulties, opinions on the importance and role of having a father, and the effects of father absence. 18 adolescent boys participated in face-to-face interviews and group discussions with the researchers, who then thematically examined the data. The results showed that the boys valued their fathers as important members of their families and communities. Financial hardships, academic challenges, alcohol abuse, and a lack of nearby male role models are some of the negative effects of fatherlessness. The significance of father engagement in adolescent boys’ lives as well as the possible effects of father absence are highlighted by this study.
Family Reunion Comment: Fatherlessness is a serious social problem that has an effect on families all around the world. Numerous studies have shown how crucial fathers are in their children’s lives and how their absence can have harmful effects. Children without fathers frequently have a variety of obstacles, such as financial hardships, academic difficulties, an increased risk of substance misuse, and a lack of close male role models. The lack of a father figure throughout a child’s formative years might leave them without the support and direction they need, underscoring the need for the right resources and interventions to meet their particular requirements. It is essential to acknowledge fathers’ contributions and importance in order to foster great outcomes for kids and give them the support and direction they require to succeed.
Title: Who is Leading Today’s Family? The Detrimental Effects of an Absent Father
Publication: Liberty University
Authors: Kimberly J. Davis
Link: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4192
Summary: The negative impacts of fathers being physically absent from their families and the implications it has on numerous facets of family life are examined in this study. It investigates theories including attachment theory, family systems theory, emotional intelligence psychology theories, and aggressiveness theory. Both males with physically present fathers and those without fathers provided data for the researchers. The study specifically examines the father-son relationship, levels of aggression, emotional intelligence, attachment, father hunger, and biblical allusions to fatherhood. It also focuses on the significance of the father’s physical presence in the household. Understanding the effects of a father’s absence and emphasizing the importance of a father’s involvement in the family are the objectives.
Family Reunion Comment: This study draws attention to how fatherlessness negatively affects many facets of family life. The importance of a father’s physical presence in the family, especially in the father-son bond, is emphasized. According to the study, fatherlessness might result in undesirable consequences like an increase in violence, a decline in emotional intelligence, and a feeling of father hunger. It emphasizes the value of dads in the home as providers, teachers, mentors, and husbands. Overall, this study shows us that the dynamics of the family and the well-being and development of children can both be significantly impacted by the absence of a father.
Title: Absent Fathers, Maternal Gatekeeping, and Growing Daughters: A Phenomenological Study on Beating the Odds and Becoming Triumphant
Publication: University of West Georgia ProQuest Dissertations Publishing
Authors: Brittany A Collins
Summary: This study focuses on the experiences of women who did not have father figures in their childhood and looks at how their moms’ gatekeeping conduct affected their adult decision-making. The objective is to comprehend how the decisions made by the mother and father for their daughters’ interpersonal interactions. The study examines how the absence of a father affects decision-making and how the mother shapes those processes. It emphasizes how crucial it is to comprehend how parental figures affect people’s relationships and decision-making.
Family Reunion Comment: This study highlights the fact that growing up without a father can have an impact on a person’s decision-making for a lifetime, especially when it comes to interpersonal connections. The study emphasizes the importance of maternal gatekeeping, where mothers’ actions can affect how their daughters behave as adults. This shows us that the lack of a father figure can affect a person’s future decisions and interactions with other people as well as the direct bond between a father and child. The need of comprehending the complexity and effects of fatherlessness on people’s lives is emphasized, as is the relevance of having supportive parents in a child’s life for healthy growth.
Title: Father absence and children’s cognitive development
Publication: Psychological Bulletin
Authors: Marybeth Shinn
Link: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.85.2.295
Summary: The data reviewed in this paper shows that father absence has a detrimental impact on children’s cognitive development, including their IQ scores, academic success, and school performance. The effects of father absence might vary based on the cause of the absence, the length of the absence, the child’s age, gender, color, and socioeconomic situation, as well as the particular skills being examined (such as math or language skills). The results indicate that while gender roles do not significantly affect the outcomes for children in single-parent families, financial constraints, high levels of anxiety, and little parent-child interaction do. The study also examines the question of whether moms can make up for a father’s absence and the potential consequences of their involvement.
Family Reunion Comment: This study highlights the fact that fatherlessness, or the lack of a father in a child’s life, can negatively impact a child’s cognitive growth and academic achievement. The study emphasizes the significance of elements like financial difficulty, parent-child relationship, and the mother’s capacity to make up for the absence of the father in reducing these negative impacts. It teaches us that the existence of a father figure and their participation in a child’s life have a substantial impact on the support of their cognitive development and educational success. In order to provide the right assistance and interventions for children growing up in father-absent households, it is important to understand these effects.
Title: Does Living in a Fatherless Household Compromise Educational Success? A Comparative Study of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Skills
Publication: European Journal of Population volume
Authors: Jonas Radl, Leire Salazar & Héctor Cebolla-Boado
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-017-9414-8
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between various family structures and the non-cognitive and cognitive abilities of 15 to 16-year-old pupils. The absence of dads and living arrangements with siblings and grandparents were of particular interest to the researchers. They made use of information from 33 developed nations’ PISA results, the Programme for International Student Assessment. According to the study, fatherlessness and co-residence with grandparents are frequently associated with poor results for children worldwide. Both cognitive and non-cognitive skills are damaged, but the impact on cognitive skills is greater. In different nations and for different skill outcomes, having siblings and grandparents in the home has varying consequences.
Family Reunion Comment: This study offers strong evidence from numerous industrialized nations that father absence is linked to negative outcomes for children, especially in terms of cognitive ability. This is important to notice. This shows that the presence of a father figure influences a child’s cognitive development in a major way. It emphasizes how crucial fathers are to developing and fostering their children’s intellectual capacities. The study advances our knowledge of how fatherlessness affects children’s scholastic performance and emphasizes the importance of addressing this problem to foster favorable developmental outcomes for kids.
Title: Father Involvement During Early Childhood: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Publication: Journal of Research in Childhood Education
Authors: Eva Diniz
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jftr.12410
Summary: The study is a systematic review of literature on father involvement during early childhood. The authors identified 67 studies that explored the different aspects of father involvement and found that it is influenced by various factors such as cultural norms, fathers’ own upbringing, and contextual factors. Father involvement is important for children’s development and well-being, but there are gaps in the literature, particularly regarding diversity and cultural differences.
Title: Support Father Engagement: What Can we Learn from Fathers?
Publication: Journal of Family Diversity & Education
Authors: Kyle Miller
Link: https://familydiversityeducation.com/index.php/fdec/article/view/151
Summary: This study looks at how fathers are involved in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and how the experience affects their beliefs and confidence as parents. The authors found that fathers who are more involved in the NICU have stronger beliefs in their parenting abilities and greater confidence when they take their premature baby home. The study highlights the important role of the NICU in supporting fathers and promoting their involvement in their child’s care. The findings suggest that healthcare providers should prioritize involving fathers in NICU care to help them feel more confident and prepared for their role as parents.
Title: Fathers’ Involvement with Their Children Before and After Separation
Publication: Journal of Marriage and Family
Authors: Tina Haux
Link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10680-020-09563-z.pdf
Summary: This study looks at how fathers’ involvement with their children changes before and after separation from their partner. The authors found that fathers who were more involved with their children before separation tended to maintain or increase their involvement after separation. However, fathers who were less involved before separation tended to become even less involved after separation. The study highlights the importance of encouraging fathers to be involved with their children from an early age, as this can have long-lasting effects on their involvement and relationship with their children after separation. The findings suggest that policies and programs should prioritize promoting father involvement to benefit both children and fathers, particularly in the event of separation.
Title: The Intergenerational Transmission of Socioeconomic Status in Stepfamilies: What Happens if Two Fathers Are Involved in the Transmission Process?
Publication: Journal of Family Issues
Authors: Suzanne G. de Leeuw
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jftr.12410
Summary: This study examines how socioeconomic status is transmitted across generations in stepfamilies where two fathers are involved. The authors found that both biological and stepfathers can have a significant impact on the socioeconomic status of their children, but the biological father’s influence is typically stronger. The study highlights the importance of considering the role of both fathers in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status in stepfamilies. The findings suggest that policies and programs should focus on supporting the involvement of both fathers in their children’s lives to promote positive outcomes for the next generation.
Title: Stories of the “good father”: The role of fatherhood among incarcerated men in Mexico
Publication: Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as Fathers
Authors: Sveinung Sandberg
Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1462474520969822
Summary: This study explores the experiences of incarcerated men in Mexico regarding fatherhood and the role of fatherhood in their lives. The authors conducted qualitative interviews with incarcerated men and found that fatherhood was an important aspect of their identity, despite their incarceration. The study highlights the importance of supporting father involvement for incarcerated men and promoting positive fathering practices, as well as the need for policies and programs that address the unique challenges faced by incarcerated fathers.
Title: Fathers matter: Intrahousehold responsibilities and children’s wellbeing during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy
Publication: Journal of Family Issues
Authors: Lucia Mangiavacchi
Summary: This study examines the impact of fathers’ intrahousehold responsibilities on children’s wellbeing during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. The authors used data from a survey of families with children and found that fathers who took on more caregiving responsibilities during the lockdown had children with better emotional and behavioral outcomes. The study highlights the importance of fathers’ involvement in caregiving and their impact on children’s wellbeing, particularly in times of crisis. The authors suggest that policies and programs should promote gender equality in caregiving responsibilities to support positive child outcomes.
Title: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE PERCEPTION OF FATHERHOOD
Publication: Journal of Parental Research
Authors: Tanju Gurkan
Link: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1308030.pdf
Summary: This study explores the experiences of fathers who participated in group sessions aimed at supporting their transition to fatherhood. The authors conducted interviews with participants and analyzed the data using qualitative methods. The study found that the group sessions provided a safe and supportive environment for fathers to share their experiences and learn from one another. The sessions helped fathers to develop confidence in their parenting abilities, strengthen their relationships with their partners, and connect with other fathers. The study highlights the value of group sessions as a tool for promoting father involvement and supporting the transition to fatherhood.
Title: Fatherlessness, sperm donors and ‘so what?’ parentage: arguing against the immorality of donor conception through ‘world literature’
Publication: BMJ
Authors: Grace Halden
Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9691809/pdf/medhum-2021-012328.pdf
Summary: Is biology and knowing biological ancestral information essential to the construction of identity? Bioethicist James David Velleman believes this is the case and argues that donor gamete conception is immoral because a portion of genetic heritage will be unknown. I adopt Velleman’s list of stories and ask if they really can support an anti-donation sentiment and suggest that most of the stories actually support diverse family structures. By exploring the significance of story-telling in cultural understandings of family and identity, it is possible to identify the ways in which story-telling can impact how society negotiates complex issues such as assisted reproduction, donor conception, and donor industry regulation.
Title: Fatherhood and Fatherlessness
Publication: The Australia Institute
Authors: Michael Flood
Summary: A national debate about families and parenting is gathering with fathers and fathering at its center. Fathers, and mothers, are important to the well-being of children, families, and communities. Supporting fathers’ positive involvement in their children’s lives is a vital element in the maintenance of healthy families and communities. However, current proposals to change family law do not represent either an appropriate or effective means to enhance fathers’ positive involvement in families.
Family Reunion Comment: Children need the presence of both parents involved in their life. The support of a father’s positive involvement in children’s lives is a key element in maintaining a healthy family structure. Having both parents involved in a shared structure provides a balance for the child and allows them to grow as the best version of themself. Witnessing a proper, healthy relationship creates an example of how children will view future relationships.