Fathers and Their Adolescent Sons

Abstract

This study examined perceptions of paternal involvement among adolescent males and their fathers across three levels of the adolescent’s pubertal development. A purposive sample of adolescent males (n = 173) and their fathers (n = 122) completed self-report measures of pubertal development (adolescent’s self ratings, fathers’ ratings of their son’s development), paternal support, and involvement. Fathers and sons were similar in their assessments of the sons’ pubertal development. Perceptions of Companionship, General Support, Satisfaction, Sustained Contact, and Time Together did not differ across three levels of development (pre-, transitional-, and post-pubertal development). Physical Affection was the only measure of paternal involvement that differed (decreased) across the three levels of pubertal development. These findings suggest that fathers’ involvement with their adolescent sons is not globally affected by pubertal development.

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