title: The effect of fathers or father figures on child behavioral problems in families referred to child protective services.
abstract: This study examines some possible effects of the presence and quality of parent-child interaction of fathers and father figures on the behavior of young children in a sample of families reported to child protective services. Whereas the presence or absence of a father or father figure seemed to make little difference in child behavioral problems at age 4, lower levels of aggression and depression were observed for children by age 6 if an adult male in some form of father-like relationship was present in the child's life. When controlling for mother's ethnicity, child's gender, the number of referrals to child protective services, and the presence of domestic violence, the direct effect of a father/father figure was no longer significant but remained in the multivariate models as a significant interaction term.
authors.affiliation: Children's Administration Data Integration and Analysis Unit, State of Washington Office of Children's Administration Research, USA. mdav300@dshs.wa.gov
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology