Effects of Paternal Absenteeism on Society

Since marital discord is among the top causes of paternal absenteeism, it may be inferred that the possibility of amiable relationships between the parents of the children involved may be shaky. In fact some, as McLanahan (as cited in Lamb, 1999, p. 83) pointed out, researchers have found that the problems that result in divorce most times began long before even the actual event occurs. This poses a greater threat on the development of the child as they would have to deal with the issue of their parents separating as well as the eventual absence of their father. This presents several problems for the child.

Parents provide a balance of resources for their children as they complement each other in the process of parenting. There are certain needs that must be met in a child in order to ensure that there is proper growth and development. One of the objectives of the family is to aid and to foster the development of functional individuals who would be able to make valid contributions to the society. As will be seen in the psychological perspective, fathers play a big role in the provision of some of those characteristics that aid in the healthy development of the child. When those functions are absent, children can become dysfunctional or even become threats to society. It is for this reason that there needs to be someone who can fill the gap so that daughters in particular, do not have to find themselves plunging into the depths of destruction and emotional instability. This is why surrogate fatherhood can help to alleviate the effects of paternal absenteeism on daughters which will inadvertently result in a more functional and successful women.

The following research findings are not an attempt to stereotype, in any way, persons who are victims of paternal absenteeism. The information that will be presented here is merely based on the findings of research done by persons and groups with a common interest in father absence and who have conducted relevant studies in the area. Statistics are based on majority and cover studies conducted in various parts of the world.

High School Drop Out Rate and Sexual Activity. According to the article titled, Father Absence and the Welfare of Children (McLanahan, n.d.) research has shown that children, who are subject to paternal absenteeism, are at a higher risk to drop out of school earlier than those who were a part of families in which both parents were present. Children were said to have dropped out of school because of the need for finances in the home which was brought about because of the absentee father. Research has also shown that females who grew up in divorced homes tend to be more sexually assertive than those who are not (Denmark, Rabinowitz & Secher, 2000, p. 154). As a result, there seems to be a high incidence of sexually inappropriate behaviour which in itself is a social problem. Paternal absenteeism was also a common thread that was found amongst youths who were involved in use of heroin and alcohol (Father Absence and Adolescent Problem Behaviours, n.d.). The general consensus of researchers was that the use of these substances was seen as a coping mechanism for youths whose experiences with paternal absenteeism were traumatic. 

Some scholars have suggested that the effects that paternal absenteeism has on the child are incurred not because of paternal absenteeism in itself, but because of the events that accompany the dilemma (Milligan & Dowie, 1998, p.55). By this they meant that though paternal absenteeism results in problems such as the lack of financial support for the child and loss of amount of time mothers get to spend with children, if the mother is able to demonstrate an ability to balance her affairs in such a way that the fundamental areas of parenting remain unaffected, then the child will be just as successful as if he had two parents. The problem however, is that this is not as practical as it may sound. According to these sources, social capital is an asset that is created and maintained by relationships of commitment and trust.

The absence of a father in the life of the child results in the disruption and in some cases the complete destruction of social capital in the following ways:

• Lack of trust of the father who lives outside of the household for the mother often results in the father’s refusal to invest his time and money in the child which causes the weakening of the relationship between the child and his/her father.
• Weakened father-child connection undermines the child’s trust in both parents and causes the child to become uncertain about the future making him more difficult to manage.
• Family disruption results in the reduction of access to social capital which would have been available to the child if the relationship with the father had remained in-tact.

As a result of the above, the researcher found that paternal absenteeism may affect the child and therefore the socitey in the following ways. It must be noted, however, that the following effects do not apply to every single parent family where paternal absenteeism is prevalent:

• It causes an interruption in the formation of gender identities of the child. This results in problems such as homosexuality and other gender identity issues.
• Lack of financial support for the child
• Loss of social capital which refers to the benefits that the child would have received provided that his father was involved in his life by the child’s associations with his father.
• Interruption in the development of the self concept
• Child feels rejected by the father and as such feels rejected by everyone else
• Decreased ability to exercise self control
• Intensified separation anxiety
• Feelings of insecurity
• Confusion about gender roles
• Increased risk of dropping out of school
• Lack of discipline

Weiten (2011, p. 372) indicated that there has been a significant increase in the incidences of  drug abuse, teen pregnancy, eating disorders and many other social indiscretions. He further pointed out that studies have shown that there is a dynamic relationship between these problems and paternal absenteeism. Paternal absenteeism is a problem not for some people, but it affects everyone. If the society refuses to pay attention to this rapidly increasing ill, there is no telling of the leaps and bounds of its influence on the already disintegrating social structure. Not only will there be greater emotionally tainted social problems, but there is the possibility of dramatic increases in the economic and political problems that this issue can awaken.