Absent Fathers Influence

Known as “the greatest social catastrophe facing our country” (Davidson), the absence of a father figure in the household is steadily on the rise. Today, twenty-five percent of individuals younger than eighteen are being raised in single-parent households (Davidson). An article by Paul Raeburn, published in Scientific American Mind Magazine, points out the rising number of absent fathers in American households stating, “[F]athers are disappearing: fewer dads are participating in the lives of their children now than at any time since the United States began keeping records. This shift matters because the effects of a missing father can be profound and counterintuitive [. . . .]” (Raeburn 47). Many studies have shown that the negative impact of absent fathers on their children is reported more than the beneficial outcomes of a father’s presence (Halle et. al). Thus, the absence of a father figure in a child’s life has negative effects on the child’s behavior and learning capabilities.
Children raised without a father figure often lack the ability to control their behavior. Through emotional turmoil and family breakdowns, children often turn to worldly possessions, such as drugs and alcohol, to take their minds off of the negative situations around them (East et. al). According to her article, “Father Involvement and …show more content…
Adolescents raised in families headed by a single parent are five times more probable than children in two-guardian families to live in poverty (Halle et. al). Causing struggling single parents in the United States to make ends meet, poverty causes lower performance in school and makes it harder for many children to form relationships with others (Mossop). Therefore, financial aid provided by the government can never make up for a father’s absence in his child’s life