User:Littlebearshehe/Father figure

Research found that there is a strong negative causal effect of father figure absence on a child’s social emotional development, specifically an increase in externalizing behaviors. Further, if absence occurred in early childhood, effects are more pronounced for boys than girls. Proceeding into adolescence, there is also strong evidence that father figure absence increases adolescents’ risky behaviors, these behaviors include but not limited to substance use and early childbearing. There is a strong and consistent finding on the negative effects of absence on highschool graduation, resulting in a lower graduation rate. The effects on educational attainment has also been proven to be correlated with an increase in [https://www.healthline.com/health/problem-behavior#:~:text=Problem%20behaviors%20are%20those%20that,as%20well%20as%20in%20adults. problem behaviors]. There is little evidence supporting that the absence of father figure has an effect on children and adolescent’s cognitive ability.

Through examining long-term effects of father figure absence on adulthood, there is strong evidence that there is a strong causal effect of father absence on adult mental health. Results denote that psychological harm due to father figure absence in childhood persists throughout life. There is also weak evidence supporting that father figure absence influences  adult financial or family outcomes. A few studies indicated that there is a negative correlation on adult employment. There are inconsistence evidence supporting that there are negative effects on marriage and divorce, income, or college education.

Inconsistent research outcomes.

Pop culture examples

From a psychoanalytic point of view, Sigmund Freud described the father figure as essential in child development, particularly in pre-Oedipal and Oedipal stages. Particularly for boys, resolution of the Oedipal stage and development through developing a loving attachment with the father figure is crucial and healthy. In Freud’s theory, boys perceived father figures as a rival, one that makes them experience guilt and fear, ceases incestuous sexual impulses and an object of enmity and hatred. Dorothy Burlingham also mentioned that Freud perceived father figure in a more positive light, idealizing the figure as a "protector" who "great" and "God like" in Children's perspective.

Links

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904543/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1300/J032v14n01_03