title: The influence of father absence on the self-esteem and self-reported sexual activity of rural southern adolescents.
abstract: The absence of the father in the resident home is an increasing trend in the United States, and the belief that the absence of fathers is lined with a variety of social pathologies is gaining national momentum. This study explored the relationship of father absence on self-esteem and self-reported sexual activity among rural southern adolescents. A sample of 1,409 adolescents (558 males and 851 females) aged 11 to 18 years was surveyed, and the Miller Self-Esteem Questionnaire (MSQ) was used to measure self-esteem. Analysis revealed that increased sexual activity occurred by adolescents in homes where no father present in the residence. Although a statistical significance was noted in the relationship between father absence and lower self-esteem, the magnitude of the difference was not large. Further, no relationship between self-esteem and sexual activity was noted. Seemingly, the absence of the father has a potentially detrimental effect on adolescents' lifestyle choices. Consideration of the notion that the phenomena of fathering rather than the mere presence of a father may contribute to differences in adolescent's lifestyle choices should be studied.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Hampton University, Virginia, USA. constance.hendricks@hamptonu.edu
authors.forename: Constance Smith
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Cesario
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murdaugh
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.forename: E Jane
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Servonsky
authors.forename: Rodel V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Bobadilla
authors.forename: Denisha L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spencer-Morgan
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavakoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010332:Paternal Behavior; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012424:Rural Population; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires