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Research: 1-in-4 U.S. Children Live in Fatherless Homes, Spurring Mental Health and Behavioral Issues

About one in four children in the United States are living in fatherless homes, making them far more likely to suffer from mental health and behavioral issues, research details.

An issue brief published by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) finds clear correlations between children raised in fatherless homes and developmental challenges such as anger problems, violent tendencies, and overall lower educational scores.

U.S. Census Bureau data shows that as of 2022, more than 18 million children across the nation live in fatherless homes — indicating that about one in four children do not have a father figure in their household.

The AFPI brief details the impact fatherless homes have on the well-being of children, specifically their mental health and behavioral development:

The effects of broken families have been staggering. Children from fatherless homes fare far worse in overall well-being and mental and behavioral health. These children are often burdened with lower self-esteem than other children, and they do not understand why their fathers abandoned them. This leads to a number of emotional problems like anxiety, social withdrawal, and depression, and it also leads to an increased risk of suicide and other forms of self-harm. Some data suggests that 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes, and 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders are from fatherless homes. [Emphasis added]

Some data also suggest that children without fathers are also 10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances, and 71% of all children who abuse substances come from fatherless homes. Another study found that 75% of adolescent patients in substance abuse centers are from fatherless homes. [Emphasis added]

In terms of determining future criminal behavior, the AFPI brief shows a strong connection between the incarcerated juvenile population and fatherlessness.

“In a study of 75 juvenile delinquents, 66% experienced fatherlessness, 20% had never lived with their father, and 25% had an alcoholic father,” the brief states. “… in one study, 70% of youth in state-operated facilities were from sing-parent homes.”

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9 thoughts on “Research: 1-in-4 U.S. Children Live in Fatherless Homes, Spurring Mental Health and Behavioral Issues”

  1. Those fatherless homes… Does anyone know what percentage are white/black/hispanic/asian/native-American?

    The breakdown would be telling!

    1. Why do you have to be racist 2:08? A child growing up in a home without a father is a bad situation, no matter what race they are.

      1. How is that question racist? Unless you’re inferring what the results may show based on your own speculation. It’s a valid question asking for more details of the study.

        1. Uncomfortable truth

          It’s a racist question because the motivation for asking it is racist. It’s asked because there’s an expectation (more accurately a “hope”) that the statistics will illustrate some racial differences in order to justify racist conclusions. You love blaming the victims, unless you perceive yourself to be a victim.

  2. That’s a large part of the problem with our public schools. Too many children with no parenting at home. They simply are never taught how to act like civilized humans.

  3. Bigger question…should everyone PAY for the fatherless children or should the fathers?

    Recent delinquent DADDY…hit for a very very large amount of money at OC downs casino…table games. As the norm, the casino ran his name against DEADBEATS in state of MD. Bingo! The “MAN” took all six figures of his winning….left him NADA.

    Why should taxpayers pay for delinquencies? They should not!

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