New Study: Father engagement vital to children’s wellbeing
December 15th, 2008 by Robert Franklin, Esq."Children with fathers are less likely to commit crimes or engage in aggressive behavior, are less likely to become homeless later in life, have significantly higher IQs, have fewer psychological problems, are less likely to use tobacco, and have better relationships and educational outcomes than are their fatherless counterparts."
Hard on the heels of government studies of teen violence in Ontario and Massachusetts that paid little heed to the importance of fathers in the lives of their children comes a systematic study of the scientific literature to date. And surprise of surprises, it shows what we already know – that father engagement is vital to children’s wellbeing.
The study is an analysis of scientific literature performed in 2003 and updated in 2007 by social scientists from Sweden and Australia. Their findings were published in the journal Acta Paediatrica of June, 2008. The link is here.
It reviews longitudinal studies comprising over 22,000 datasets and finds that children who live with fathers who are actively engaged in their lives and care tend to do better than those without.
Specifically, children with fathers are less likely to commit crimes or engage in aggressive behavior, are less likely to become homeless later in life, have significantly higher IQs, have fewer psychological problems, are less likely to use tobacco, and have better relationships and educational outcomes than are their fatherless counterparts.
Eighteen of the studies controlled for SES (socio-economic status), so the findings do not merely reflect the better outcomes of more privileged children.
As the authors state, “father engagement positively affects the social behavioural, psychological and cognitive outcomes of children.”
Someone should let lawmakers, courts and the media in on the secret.
But, as the authors also add with typical scientific understatement, “unfortunately, current institutional policies in most countries do not support the increased involvement of fathers in child rearing.”
The systematic separation and exclusion of fathers from the lives of their children is one of the great scandals of our time. Someday we will look back on the present and shake our heads in disbelief at current policies that are bad for fathers, bad for children, bad for mothers, and bad for society.
Long-term scientific studies like this one tell us a truth that will over time displace the fictions we’ve been living with for so long.
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December 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Thanks Robert,
Perhaps this study should be mentioned on Glenn's source page.....
December 15th, 2008 at 11:40 am
This type of research must be published globally. We may have an uphill battle to fight here in the US since we are going against 30 years of conventional wisdom in public policy. In other countries it is not too late to stop the trouble before it starts.
Here is a recent news item from India where a NOW-like group is pressuring the Supreme Court of India to strike down legislation that prevents adulterous women from getting alimony. They want to change it to how it is in the US, where even a person proven beyond doubt in court to have committed adultery gets alimony 100% like nothing had happened.
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=152982
December 15th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
It's also good for Fathers to be in their kid's lives.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Is that a peer reviewed kinda journal?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I once read a statement (I don't remember where) that fatherhood status in the home was the #1 predictor of a child becoming a fully functioning well-adjusted adult. More than race or income.
In other words a child of two involved but poor black parents has a greater chance of being a "success" than child in a fatherless white upper-class home.
I believe this to be true. Strangely, what most of the "liberal friendly" studies on children do is focus on the SYMPTOMS of fatherlessness (poverty, drug use, delinquency, abuse, emotional problems in the home) as being factors of causation.
It's like stating that there is more crime in neighborhood X because access to guns are on the increase, but not discussing that three new gun shops opened up within 4 blocks of each other.
That's not a gr8 analogy, but hopefully you know what I mean.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Burke,
http://www.plos.org/about/faq.html#pubquest
Will articles be published prior to peer review?
Quality control through peer review is judged one of the most valued functions of any journal. The articles in PLoS journals will be published only after they have undergone a rigorous and constructive peer-review process that will be managed by academic editors in collaboration with experienced professional editors.
My 2 cent rant about studies and peer review:
Of course we must remember that peer review is not itself science. Peer review helps weed out bad science, but peer review can also just be an expression of the status quo.
Science is scientific method + repeatability of experiments. It's not just one study, whether it's an Ampersand pushed study (or a Robert Franklin mentioned study.)
Studies are good, but battles of studies (I have my study and you have your study) can often just de-evolve into the pointless. (And I find that frequently happens around feminist forums. )
Noting the studies, pro AND con, side by side is I think a good way to show the diversity of views, and to counter the feminists going up to the Bidens with a handful of studies and demanding laws that all men be euthanized at birth. (Perhaps hyperbole, perhaps not.)
December 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Interested parties should review the article at Glenn's link to it. And ALSO review the supplementary material which is linked on that end.
This seems to be a major effort, and credible.
Sadly...if this was swapped around genderwise it would be on Oprah, 60 minutes, and elsewhere in the media.
Thanks for raising awareness here Glenn!
As a Dad I already know that Fatherhood is a good thing. Just like I know that the sky is blue on clear days. I've seen it countless times with my own parenting and with others.
I sure wish that I could see and help raise my own son. I'd like him to have the same benefits that other children enjoy.
December 15th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
It never ceases to amaze me that people need studies like these to be convinced that children need their dads.
What has the world come to, where a father has to provide evidence that his presence in his child's life contributes greatly to that child's wellbeing?
It makes me sick.
December 15th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Davina, yes you are 100% correct.
This was part of the rude awakening I went through when I crossed the threshold and entered the twilight zone, err, Family Court.
It's like a Franz Kafka adventure.
Besides having to prove self-evident things, there are also long delays during which temporary things become permanent due to the passage of time (months, years) hence they cannot be changed. Which means that evaluations and studies are a waste. What do they do at first before the studies? Reward the woman. Then that gets locked in. 9:30 meetings run late and get cancelled at 2 PM after you have paid your lawyer and the clock is running. Lying is not a problem if you are female. It's like they start with the conclusion and then do a dog and pony show since you insisted.
I had a chance to see a fascinating contrast in Courts when I sued my exe for her multiple assaults on me in Civil Court. This is literally one room over. Family Court would not help me at all when I was being seriously attacked again and again. Back to reality = Civil Court. 10:00 meetings start at 10:00, evidence is important, time frames matter, photos matter, witnesses are not ignored and real decisions are made. I easily won in civil court and received cash damages. The trouble is, this took four years due to the delays in Family Court.
The Family Court people later seemed mad at me that I had gone to Civil Court to get help. I'd have been happy to have stayed there if their apathy and ideology did not mean I had to be endlessly assaulted.
Meanwhile back in Family Court before / during / after I prevailed in Civil Court my exe is considered nonviolent and peaceful. Yet on the other side of one shared wall she confessed and was held responsible?!!? Kafka.
This all tells me that Family Court is not about justice and truth and trying to help families. It's about realizing someone's ideology which favors women no matter what. They are more important than men. They are more important than children. The rare exceptions where men get a fair shake tend to be those where the woman screwed up very early in a case. Or keeps falling off the wagon and getting DUIs or something like that.
I know a guy prevailing in the local Family Court right now. He thinks he will have custody in about a year. His exe is hooked on pain pills and keeps Dr shopping to get more prescriptions and there is a criminal case going on that. And her live-in boy friend has been convicted of child abuse yet is alone with my friend's 4 year old son all the time. Even with a mess like that it will still take time. And money.
If you have never been to court, Civil Courts are much more like what you see on TV or in movies. While Family Court is more like a combination of the DMV, Jerry Springer show and a Feminist convention.
DO NOT enter a Family Court expecting fairness and caring. This can be extra hard on you if you are an orderly, rational person who might work as an accountant or in a technical field.
If you watch TV, the Adrian Monk character would hate Family Court since there are too many huge contradictions and disconnects going on all the time. I'm an Engineer so FC was an adjustment for me.
I would get schedules back from a judge that are for Tuesday visitation. It would say Tuesday visitation begins at 4 PM. Meanwhile my son's school would get out at 3:15 and I could not pick him up before then. Bus gets him to his Mom's 15 minutes later. So a young kid is to be alone at home for 30 minutes? And if you do not do this then you are in contempt? And the time for that day had no end. Was it the next day by school? Was it forever? Was it midnight? Or was it when my exe said. Guess when it was, right, the latter. That's ridiculoous. Want to fix something like that which never should have happened? Spend another 5-6K and wait 2-3 months to get a court date.
December 16th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
How about a retroactive law suit upon those many individuals working within the "system" who routinely barr a father's presence in a post separation? The premise for the suit would be built upon a fostering of a deliberate harming of the ex-father, the children and the rest of society. Those employed in the social services DO know about the effects of father absence and yet they still make it such that men are routinely kept from their own children. If these people employed in the social services arena do not know about the societal problems resulting from father absent households then fire them immediately or "tax" them retroactively.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Pawn that is a good idea. And there are many strong legal grounds upon which to base such a suit.
A big issue is that all of the (mostly) men being affected just do things all by themselves.
We need to unite.
If certain awareness raising / precedence setting easy to understand (media friendly) cases were pursued and funded other than just by the man it would be a huge help.
For example help a parent out with a parental alienation / brainwashing situation. And discuss that alienation = child abuse.
Another big issue is some of the awful judges which are like serial killers of men's rights. Take some down! Shine a light on what they do. Try to interview them on TV. Show them denying to be interviewed.
A third big issue is all of the lying. This is perjury which falls under obstruction of justice. Pursue and publicize cases of a parent lying under oath and how it was a huge success in gaining custody. I have seen lying succeed again and again to gain temporary custody. Then custody is challenged for a long time but seldom will there be any change from the temporary custody state. Even AFTER it is acknowledged that the person lied.
Fourthly more INFORMATION is needed. We need more statisitics. A big one is that girls raised by or with a Dad have a likelihood of being raped in their life that is a tiny fraction of the Dad-less girls. Wouldn't the Feminists want to see fewer rapes?
December 16th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Stan
Yes, you're expanding on this radical idea of building caseload suits against deliberate harm to individuals and society at large by those working the system who are supposed to know better.
Uniting, as you had mentioned. Yes, unite on some common level, so as to avoid infighting, to achieve a common end. Father involement, healthier and adjusted children, less tax resourses going down the drain to mend the criminal effects of fatherlessness upon the greater society.
Prosecute perjury and false allegations. Those who live outside of nasty divorce and separation scenarios do not know and cannot relate to the devastation heaped upon the non-custodial parent, usually the man, by unaccountable irresponsibly false accusing custodial parents, usually the woman.
If the, lobbied by government funded sexist SPECIAL interest groups targeting, judges uphold favoratism based on sex then, yes, campaign to shine some light on the error of their lobbied ways. If that doesn't work campaign against their malfeasance during election time.
Funding. If 1000 people gave 10 dollars. If a million people donated one dollar. If 3 million people, outraged by the current state of affairs, donated one dollar to a fund to raise awareness and work toward exposing the out of control feminist strangle hold juggernaut on society and family courts we might have a start.
These are only ideas, but once ideas are put to motion a momentum is achieved.
Guys don't do anything but complain. Men who work on their own cases all isolated amongst themselves die a thousand deaths. Some commonality has to be reached otherwise everybody goes down with the ship. Well, actually, after the men save everybody but themselves.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I was a stay-at-home (over three years) dad at the time of my divorce. However, for no apparent reason other than my sex, the courts still awarded "mother" with primary custody, reducing me from an abundance of time with my children to now just the weekends. I have tried going back to the courts for additional increased custody, but all they do is tell us to go to counseling, which we did, but after countless dollars and hours spent, there was no results for me. The courts give the power to Mothers, and they then abuse this power, by delimiting the father in addition to the alienation that takes place. There is no justice for Fathers, in a country that views equal rights as a foundation in our society.
I pray this changes before my children become adults, so maybe I too can have my God given right to the same equal access with my children.
December 17th, 2008 at 8:58 am
The family court system and society in general is about getting women what they want. We have been argueing the counter points to the arguements femminist have used to (most just out and out lies) change society to acheive their goal of having society in general favor women and to stick it to men. The system as seen with eyes from the constitution looks unfair and irrational. The system if looked at from femminist eyes looks the way it should be except for the few men still able to have reason to live.
December 17th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Mr Kaess, I too was a stay at home Dad. I home office and can work odd hours so this worked out well.
Come the divorce and instant temporary custody goes to the female. While my claims that I'm the main parent will be "looked into". They were presumed false. Later when everyone realizes they were true a long time had gone by. Forget all the motions and studies and meetings. In the end a big factor was not to create another huge change for my son. And of course they huge and repeated perjury of my exe (who was often out of the USA for long periods) was ignored. It greatly rewarded her interests.
I pray that you can stay in your kid's lives. I've run into massive visitation obstruction and not once would the courts help. My son tried for years to get to see me, having big arguments with Mom. Then he buckled and is now alienated after all the lost time.
It's now about 19 months since I have had visitation with my son. Whom I raised nearly solo. I'd need big help with the alienation so that Dad and son could rebond. This is much harder to get from the courts since they won't even help with crystal clear chronic court order violations. If the woman does it, they all but ignore it and make excuses. It's as though they cannot bear holding a female responsible.
Family Court could be renamed Female Court. Most of the people who work the divorce industry are female. And most of the decisions and biases and options favor women. This means that children and men are discounted in importance. Yet the court folks persuade themselves that they are helping kids. It's like a delusion.