Adolescents With Nonresident Fathers: Are Daughters More Disadvantaged Than Sons?

Abstract

This study examined sons' and daughters' involvement with nonresident fathers and associated outcomes (N=4,663). Results indicate that sons and daughters report equal involvement with nonresident fathers on most measures of father investment, although sons report more overnight visits, sports, and movies, and feeling closer to their fathers compared to daughters. Sons and daughters generally benefit from nonresident father involvement in the same way in internalizing and externalizing problems and grades. However, feeling close to one's nonresident father is associated with lower internalizing problems for daughters than sons. These findings suggest that nonresident fathers should be encouraged to be equally involved with their sons and daughters, as such involvement is associated with higher levels of well-being for both sons and daughters.

"She's My Baby": How Recently Incarcerated Fathers Experience Their Relationship with Their Daughters

“…Other findings suggest that paternal influence decreases antisocial behavior (Kosterman, Haggerty, Spoth, & Redmond, 2004) and sexual risk taking (Peterson, 2007;Stein, Milburn, Zane, & Rotheram-Borus, 2009) in daughters. Closeness and affirmation of fathers reduced internalization of problems in girls (Mitchell, Booth, & King, 2009), as well as enhanced women's comfort with their sexuality as adults (Scheffler & Naus, 1999). However, the literature is limited in exploration of the interior aspects of father-daughter relationships.…”

Young Adult South African Daughters’ Perceptions of Paternal Involvement and Nurturance

“…Recent literature has brought to light that father involvement continues to be important even after children reach adolescence (Mitchell, Booth, & King, 2009). Paternal involvement in adolescence is associated with higher levels of well-being in adolescents (Cookston & Finlay, 2006;Mitchell et al, 2009).…”

“…Paternal involvement in adolescence is associated with higher levels of well-being in adolescents (Cookston & Finlay, 2006;Mitchell et al, 2009). Flouri and Buchanan (2003) found the relationship between paternal involvement and adolescent well-being statistically significant, and the findings of other studies found that reported father involvement is associated with less behavioural problems during adolescence (Amato & Rivera, 1999;Harris et al, 1998;Mitchell et al, 2009). Interestingly, Flouri and Buchanan (2003) found that paternal involvement had a stronger effect than maternal involvement on adolescent happiness and was equally predictive for sons' and daughters' reported levels of happiness.…”

“…Residential fathers are more involved with sons than with daughters (Harris et al, 1998). There is, however, some disagreement if this is also true for non-residential fathers (Mitchell et al, 2009). Non-residential fathers are on the increase (Cabrera et al, 2000) and non-residential fathers are less involved than residential fathers (Schwartz & Finley, 2005).…”

“…An accumulating body of research now supports the idea that paternal involvement is important and makes a unique contribution to the development of their children (Goncy & Van Dulmen, 2010;van Schaick & Stolberg, 2001). Recent literature has brought to light that father involvement continues to be important even after children reach adolescence (Mitchell, Booth, & King, 2009). Paternal involvement in adolescence is associated with higher levels of well-being in adolescents (Cookston & Finlay, 2006; Mitchell et al, 2009).…”