The 2020 Census. American Journal of Sociology, 93, 348-405. As supported by the data below, children from fatherless homes are more likely to be poor, become involved in drug and alcohol abuse, drop out of school, and suffer from health and emotional problems. 6. Compared to peers in intact families, adolescents in single-parent families and stepfamilies were more likely to engage in delinquency. Less than 10% have a single father at the helm. A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation study3 looking at national attitudes towards anti-social behaviour reports that 1 Arthur R., 2007, Family Life and Youth Offending: Home is where the hurt is, Routledge 2 See Arthur 2007:9 According to the Census Bureau from 1960 and 2013, African -American children who lived in single-parent homes more than doubled from 22% to 55%. Poverty Six are noted here. A high percentage of gang members come from father-absent homes (Davidson, 1990), possibly resulting from a need for a sense of belonging. The Father Factor in Emotional and Behavioral Problems. Theyve concluded that it has such a significant impact on children, it may even alter their brain structure and chemistry. About 40 percent of children in father-absent homes have not seen their father at all during the past year; 26 percent of absent fathers live in a different state than their children; and 50 percent of children living absent their father have never set foot in their father's home. Among their children, nearly half were African American (46%). Coming from a fatherless home can contribute to a child having more emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression. Bryant, A. L. (2003). The effects of father involvement: An updated research summary of the evidence. Effects of Fatherless Families on Crime Rates 1. In the U.S., 8% of children live with relatives such as aunts and grandparents, compared with 38% of children globally. Part two of this series will examine the impact of mother-absent homes and its implications for criminal justice and mental health professionals. Diversity StatementThe Minnesota Psychological Association actively encourages the participation of all psychologists regardless of age, creed, race, ethnic background, gender, socio-economic status, region of residence, physical or mental status, political beliefs, religious or spiritual affiliation, and sexual or affectional orientation. Here are some of the ways father deficit affects girls & young women: Fatherless daughters can have self-esteem issues More likely to have eating disorders More prone to depression They found that individuals from father absent homes were 279% more likely to carry guns and deal drugs than peers who lived with their fathers. These statistics on fatherless homes show why it is important, even as a single parent, for a father to stick around. 4x Greater Risk of Poverty More Likey to Have Behavioral Problems 2x Greater Risk of Infant Mortality More Likely to Go to Prison More Likely to Commit Crime 7x More Likely to Become Pregnant as a Teen More Likely to Face Abuse . The Father Factor and Overall Child Well-being. The community context of family structure and adolescent drug use. It's good to be home on . Swisher, R. R., & Shaw-Smith, U. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Source: Ellis, B.J., Schlomer, G.L., Tilley, E.H., & Butler, E.A. Here is how these two categories compare and differ: Some would suggest that fathers who raise their children by themselves are opposites to those who have little to do with parenting altogether. That's the question I posed as a 2015 National Health Journalism Fellow. //