A fifth strategy for dealing with omitted variable bias is the sibling fixed effects (SFE) model. This model is similar to the previous model in that unmeasured family-level variables that are fixed (i.e., do not vary among family members) are differenced out of the equation and do not bias the estimates of father absence. In this case, the group is the family rather than the individual, and the difference that is being compared is the difference between siblings with different family experiences rather than the change in individual exposure to different family experiences. The literature on father absence contains two types of SFE models. One approach compares biological siblings who experience father absence at different ages. In this case, the estimate of the causal effect of father absence is based on the difference in siblings’ length of exposure. For example, a sibling who is age 5 at the time of a divorce or separation will experience 12 years of father absence by age 17, whereas a sibling who is age 10 when the separation occurs will experience 7 years of father absence by age 17. In some instances, children may leave home before their parents’ divorce, in which case they are treated as having no exposure. A second approach compares half-siblings in the same family, where one sibling is living with two biological parents and the other is living with a biological parent and a stepparent or social father. Both of these strategies sweep out all unmeasured family-level variables that differ between families and could potentially bias the estimate of the effect of divorce.

The fearful-avoidant attachment style is often a result of surviving child abuse or neglect. In adulthood, people with this attachment style can gravitate towards very dysfunctional instead of healthy relationships. 3. Poor mental health For adolescents, researchers often use a delinquency scale or a measure of antisocial behavior, which overlaps with some of the items on the externalizing scale. A few of the studies we examined looked at other psychological outcomes, such as locus of control and self-esteem, and several studies looked at substance use/abuse.Brown SL. Family structure transitions and adolescent well-being. Demography. 2006; 43:447–461. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar] Gruber J. Is making divorce easier bad for children? The long-run implications of unilateral divorce. J. Labor Econ. 2004; 22(4):799–833. [ Google Scholar]

Researchers have responded to concerns about omitted variable bias and reverse causation by employing a variety of innovative research designs to identify the causal effect of father absence, including designs that use longitudinal data to examine child well-being before and after parents separate, designs that compare siblings who differ in their exposure to separation, designs that use natural experiments or instrumental variables to identify exogenous sources of variation in father absence, and designs that use matching techniques that compare families that are very similar except for father absence. In this article, we review the studies that use one or more of these designs. We limit ourselves to articles that have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals, but we impose no restrictions with regard to publication date (note that few articles were published before 2000) or with regard to the disciplinary affiliation of the journal. Although most articles make use of data from the United States, we also include work based on data from Great Britain, Canada, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Indonesia, and Norway. Using these inclusion rules, we identified 47 articles that make use of one or more of these methods of causal inference to examine the effects of father absence on outcomes in one of four domains: educational attainment, mental health, relationship formation and stability, and labor force success.

Trust and Intimacy Issues

Astone NM, McLanahan SS. Family structure, parental practices and high school completion. Am. Sociol. Rev. 1991; 56:309–320. [ Google Scholar] The purpose of this content is to delve into the consequences of absent fathers and offer coping strategies for those affected by this issue. By comprehending the effects of absent fathers and developing effective coping mechanisms, individuals and families can navigate the difficulties that arise from this situation. Statistics About Absent Fathers In the absence of their dad, you definitely need to rely more on hiring nannies or getting family members to take care of your kids when you want some alone time or need to run a few errands.

Corak M. Death and divorce: the long-term consequences of parental loss on adolescents. J. Labor Econ. 2001; 19(3):682–715. [ Google Scholar]

Having multiple sexual partners and early pregnancy in teenagers can lead to various sexual health issues, such as a higher chance of engaging in sexual activity before the age of 16, not using contraception during their first sexual encounter, becoming teenage parents, and contracting sexually transmitted infections. One of my favorite absent father quotes is one by Kent Nerburn: “It is much easier to become a father than to be one.” As dropping out of high school is a decision that can have a very bad effect on future career prospects, it’s not surprising that 47 percent of fatherless children are more likely to experience poverty, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 6. Crime