Paternal Absence and Sex-Role Development: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

A meta-analysis was based on every available study that has compared father-present and father-absent children on a measure of sex typing. 67 studies produced 222 estimates of effect size. Owing to the inappropriateness of conventional statistics, Hedges's approach to meta-analysis was employed. Results show that published studies produced larger estimates of effect size than dissertations and conference papers. Effect-size estimates based on clinical and incarcerated samples were significantly different from those based on more typical samples. Generalizable differences between father-present and father-absent females were conspicuously absent. Preschool father-absent boys were shown to make less stereotypical choices of toys and activities when compared to father-present age-mates. When compared to father-present boys, older father-absent boys were more stereotypical in their overt behavior, particularly in terms of aggression. Discussion focused on interpretation of the results within a multidimensional conception of sex role.

Father Absence, Social Structure, and Attention Allocation in Children: A Four‐Culture Comparison

“…The general tendency of father-absent children to respond differently from father-present children is complicated by the irregularity of direction in their responses on various measures. The literature indicates, for example, that father-absent boys may display either very high or very low levels of aggression (Draper and Harpending 1982;Stevenson and Black 1988). And, as reported above, our own data revealed something comparable for Logoli and Black Carib children, respectively.…”

Evolution and proximate expression of human paternal investment.

“…Nonetheless, some differences between children from intact and divorced families are found after controlling for predivorce levels of family conflict and other potentially confounding variables. It appears that divorce results in small to moderate increases in aggressive and noncompliant behaviors, particularly in boys, and an early onset of sexual activity and lowered educational achievement for adolescents and young adults (both men and women), respectively (see also Amato & Keith, 1991;Belsky, Steinberg, & Draper, 1991;Florsheim, Tolan, & Gorman-Smith, 1998;Stevenson & Black, 1988). These findings are consistent with the view that paternal investment can improve children's later social competitiveness, given the strong relation between paternal investment and delayed sexual activity, educational outcomes, and later SES in industrial societies (Belsky et al, 1991;Parke & Buriel, 1998).…”

La paternité en contexte migratoire : étude comparative de l’expérience d’engagement paternel et de la construction de l’identité paternelle d’immigrants magrébins de première et de deuxième génération

“…Les écrits scientifiques démontrent sans l'ombre d'un doute que les pères qui s'engagent activement, tôt dans la vie de l'enfant, sont plus susceptibles d'être disponibles pour leur enfant et de participer à ses soins et à son éducation lorsque l'enfant a deux ans (Lamb et al, 1988). Plusieurs travaux soulignent l'impact de l'engagement paternel sur les adaptations sociales et cognitives de l'enfant (Nugent, 1991) ainsi que sur son identité sexuelle (Barnett et Baruch, 1986;Stevenson et Black, 1988). De même, on sait que les conjointes des pères engagés évaluent de façon plus positive leur relation conjugale et vivent moins de stress parental (Pleck, 2004).…”