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A Family Systems Perspective on Father Absence, Presence, and Engagement

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Handbook of Fathers and Child Development

Abstract

This chapter addresses father presence/absence and related impacts on child developmental outcomes. The research literature has historically narrowly defined fathers’ presence in their children’s lives based on marital/residential status. However, family structure among diverse communities varies. Empirical literature indicates that fathers contribute in consistent and meaningful ways to their children’s development across residential patterns. The discussion will be contextualized within a family systems framework and derive conceptual meaning based on boundary clarity/ambiguity in families. Special consideration will be given to psychological/sociological issues impacting family separation including mental health problems, substance use, trauma, and incarceration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Erika London Bocknek

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  1. Erika London Bocknek
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Correspondence to Erika London Bocknek .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Hiram E. Fitzgerald

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany

    Kai von Klitzing

  3. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Natasha J. Cabrera

  4. Graduate Program in Educational Psychology, Centro Universitário FIEO, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil

    Júlia Scarano de Mendonça

  5. Division of Mental Health, Akershus University Hospital HF, Lørenskog, Norway

    Thomas Skjøthaug

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Bocknek, E.L. (2020). A Family Systems Perspective on Father Absence, Presence, and Engagement. In: Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N.J., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, T. (eds) Handbook of Fathers and Child Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_7

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