The boy in his late middle childhood faces enormous changes — physically, socially and mentally. World-wide, people experience challenges - politically and economically as well as regarding social structures such as families. Children are not excluded from these challenges. Family structures change over time and fathers are increasingly becoming absent in the lives of their children. This Master's dissertation provides information concerning three major aspects regarding the boy. The first, as described in Article 1, is the effect of the absent father on the boy in his late middle childhood and that of the alternative father figure, the mentor. The second major aspect, as described in Article 2, is the influence of family ordinance on the boy in his transition phase from middle childhood into adolescence, his experience of the biological father and his expectancies regarding a mentor relationship The third major aspect is the adolescent boy's experience of his biological father, the influence of an alternative father figure, namely the mentor, and the affect of the mentor relationship. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The boy in his late middle childhood faces enormous changes — physically, socially and mentally. World-wide, people experience challenges - politically and economically as well as regarding social structures such as families. Children are not excluded from these challenges. Family structures change over time and fathers are increasingly becoming absent in the lives of their children. This Master's dissertation provides information concerning three major aspects regarding the boy. The first, as described in Article 1, is the effect of the absent father on the boy in his late middle childhood and that of the alternative father figure, the mentor. The second major aspect, as described in Article 2, is the influence of family ordinance on the boy in his transition phase from middle childhood into adolescence, his experience of the biological father and his expectancies regarding a mentor relationship The third major aspect is the adolescent boy's experience of his biological father, the influence of an alternative father figure, namely the mentor, and the affect of the mentor relationship. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.