Effects Of An Absent Father: How Boys And Girls Are Affected Differently By Dad's Absence

Past studies have shown that the presence of a father in a household provides many benefits for the children, such as better academic performance, social skills, emotional well-being, mental health and behavior. On the other hand, there are many negative effects of an absent father on children.

Boys and girls are affected differently by the lack of a father in their lives, Freakonomics reports. This is the conclusion of a new working paper written by Deborah A. Cobb-Clark and Erdal Tekin.

Effects Of An Absent Father On Boys

A boy's behavior is more dependent on his father's presence more than a girl's behavior does. An absent father can indirectly cause a boy to display inappropriate behavior as a self-defense.

The lack of approval and guidance from the father causes emotional pain to boys and a desire to prove themselves, Global Post shares. "These include intense competition with other boys, engaging in risky behaviors, and criminal 'tough guy' behavior intended to scare the world into seeing them as men."

A boy that has an absent father is more likely to display delinquent behavior than a boy who lives with his father. Having a father figure, like a stepfather, as a replacement for the biological father can help lower a boy's risk for displaying delinquent behavior.

Effects Of An Absent Father On Girls

Girls do not usually display delinquent behavior if they grow up completely without their father. However, girls are more negatively affected when they have contact with a non-residential biological dad while growing up. The effects usually manifest during adulthood.

The paper states that girls who had contact with their non-residential biological dad were more likely to commit crimes when they became an adult. "This surprising result may be due to the possibility that these verbal interactions between the non-residential father and the adolescent is an indication of a problematic relationship between the two, which might have manifested itself as delinquent behavior later in life," Freakonomics explains.

What were the effects of an absent father in your life? Do not hesitate to share your feedback, thoughts and experiences in the comments section.