These girls tend to have sex at a younger age, have more sexual partners and are more likely to become pregnant as teens.
There may be other factors that contribute to the risky behavior beyond absent fathers. There are genetic factors that contribute to risk-taking behavior. Dad may be absent or disengaged because of his risk-taking genetics, and those genes are passed down to his daughter.
Factors like parental monitoring and teen social relationships can modify or prevent risky behavior, even if the family structure isn’t made up of genetic father and mother.
Providing a home with love or support is the best way to improve the situation.
Listen as Dr. Danielle DelPriore joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to discuss the research on absent fathers and risky sexual behavior of daughters.
Danielle DelPriore, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at the University of Utah. Her research applies natural and randomized experiments to examine the influence of fathers on their daughters’ sexual behavior.