NCJ Number
191108
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 300-309
Date Published
November 2001
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The study examined whether father (or father figure) presence or absence was associated with children’s functioning at age 6.
Abstract
Research suggested that fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives was associated with enhanced child functioning. The objective of this study was to examine whether this was true but also to examine whether children’s perceptions of fathers’ support was associated with better functioning. Also examined was whether the above association was moderated by the father’s relationship to the child, the child’s race, and the child’s gender. Participants included 855 6-year-old children and their caregivers. The relationships in the study included biological fathers, other relatives, mothers’ boyfriends, and foster fathers. Results showed that father presence was associated with better cognitive development and greater perceived competence by the children. For children with a father figure, those who described greater father support had a stronger sense of social competence and fewer depressive symptoms. The associations did not differ by child’s gender, race, or relationship to the father figure. It was concluded that the value of fathers’ presence and support to their children’s functioning was supported by these findings. Future research should clarify what specific behaviors characterize supportiveness, examine what motivates fathers and father figures to be supportive or not, and demonstrate efforts to encourage the positive involvement of these men in children’s lives. A priority is to seek ways to encourage the positive involvement and supportiveness of father figures in children’s lives, especially in high-risk families. 3 tables, appendix, 40 references