Abstract
Hindering and obfuscating psychiatric scholarship about the father's role, whether he is present or absent, are several widespread notions and practices — including conceptual, assumptive, attitudinal, methodologic and technical matters. Discussed are eleven barriers to research: patriarchal ideology, preference for studying individual and dyad instead of family systems, preference for considering adults not children, overly rigid definition of parental roles, choosing not longitudinal but onetime cross-sectional study, reasoning about linear cause and effect, focus on attitudes not overt behavior, failure to control for adequate number of variables, neglect of adequate sampling procedures, confusing correlation with causation and an overemphasis on obvious pathology.
The father, present or absent, may be salient or insignificant in the life of a child. If salient, the father's role may promote health and growth or may be largely pathogenic. The conclusion holds that an irreducible family unit may consist of only one pair: caretaker/child.