Relationships between body dissatisfaction, dieting methods, father absence, and puberty timing were investigated in this study. Participants included adolescent females from Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health. Logistic regression results indicated that girls without a biological father in the home were significantly more likely to have an early onset of puberty than on-time or late. Girls who experienced early puberty exhibited higher levels of body dissatisfaction, but didn't use more dieting methods. Early onset girls more likely used dieting methods if their biological father was present than absent; however, no significant difference in body dissatisfaction was shown. A negative relationship with fathers indicated more body dissatisfaction. None of the attained findings were found when the biological mother was absent, and having a stepfather did not seem to matter. Evidence was revealed that fathers play a role in their daughters' view of their own bodies.

O apoio do ambiente familiar é considerado um fator determinante para o desenvolvimento infantil. Assim, deficiências nas funções materna e paterna podem acarretar o surgimento de diversas patologias mentais na criança, dependendo do estágio evolutivo e a intensidade em que ocorrem. Dentre essas patologias, a Tendência Antissocial Infantil, caracterizada por um continuum de comportamentos agressivos, opositores e de desobediência, que podem produzir um importante prejuízo nas relações sociais do indivíduo, é unanimemente reconhecida na literatura científica como fortemente influenciada pela vida familiar da criança. Estudos científicos apontam para a existência de vínculos entre a ocorrência de comportamentos antissociais e a ausência da figura do pai. Sendo assim, esta pesquisa visou investigar os efeitos da privação precoce ou tardia da figura do pai no desenvolvimento emocional de crianças com tendência antissocial, de modo a averiguar se existem diferenças em sua forma de expressão em função do momento evolutivo em que a perda ocorreu. Foi compreendido como privação o fato dos pais masculinos biológicos não residirem na mesma casa, nem conviverem diariamente com a criança, devido a abandono espontâneo do lar, morte ou reclusão penitenciária. Através de uma metodologia clínico-qualitativa, foram realizados estudos de caso com quatro famílias participantes, em que o filho apresentava frequentes comportamentos antissociais e vivia apenas com a mãe. Na avaliação foram utilizadas, com a criança, o Teste da Casa-Árvore-Pessoa (HTP) e o Teste de Apercepção Temática Infantil (CAT-A), e, com a mãe, o Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ-Por), uma Entrevista psicológica semiestruturada e um questionário sócio-econômico. A análise dos dados foi realizada a partir de uma perspectiva clínica psicanalítica de base winnicottiana, além das cotações propostas pelos manuais dos instrumentos. Os resultados apontam a existência de vínculos significativos, no atual momento de vida das crianças avaliadas, entre o desenvolvimento da tendência antissocial infantil, a privação da figura paterna e algumas características do funcionamento psicodinâmico do pai ausente. A presença física do pai não era, por si só, um fator preditivo do bom desenvolvimento emocional dos filhos, mas, sim, a sustentação realizada predominantemente por eles de um espaço de interação altamente responsivo e adaptado às necessidades das crianças, de modo que o processo de transicionalidade dos filhos era facilitado e a consolidação da capacidade de concernimento incentivada. Nesse sentido, os comportamentos antissociais das crianças parecem remeter a uma tentativa de fazer com que o ambiente novamente lhes ofereça holding e condições para retomar os processos transicionais interrompidos com a perda do genitor. Para além da idade em que ocorreu a privação, o fator de maior impacto sobre a sintomatologia das crianças não foi o momento evolutivo em que a ruptura aconteceu, mas o nível de preservação da boa imagem paterna interna que as crianças e suas mães apresentam, bem como a possibilidade ou não de reparação dessa perda por outras figuras. Os indícios mais intensos do entrave da espontaneidade e da integração do Self aparecem relacionados ao maior nível de \"apagamento\" e \"degradação\" da imago paterna, associada à possibilidade de sustentação do gesto espontâneo, do viver criativo e do círculo benigno. A sensação de perda das crianças é amplificada pelas dificuldades de identificação das mães com seus filhos e pelo afastamento da família paterna. Assim, evidencia-se a necessidade de intervenções terapêuticas familiares para que o tratamento da criança seja efetivo. Outros estudos sobre o tema são necessários para ampliar a compreensão do assunto. / The support of the family environment is considered a determining factor in child development. Thus, shortcomings in maternal and paternal functions can lead to the emergence of various mental disorders in children, depending on the stage of evolution and the intensity in which they occur. Among these pathologies, the Antisocial Tendency in children, characterized by a continuum of aggressive behaviour, oppositional defiance and disobedience, which can significantly harm the social relationships of the individual, is unanimously recognized in the scientific literature as strongly influenced by the child\'s family life. Scientific studies point to the existence of links between the occurrence of antisocial behaviour and the absence of the father figure. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of early or late deprivation of the father figure in the emotional development of children with antisocial tendency, in order to find out if there are differences in their form of expression in terms of the development moment in which the loss occurred. It was understood as deprivation when the biological fathers didn\'t live in the same house or didn\'t spend daily time with the child, due to spontaneous abandon, death or penitentiary imprisonment. Through a clinical-qualitative methodology, case studies were conducted with four participating families, in which the child presented frequent antisocial behaviors and lived only with the mother. In this evaluation consisted of the administration, to the child, of the House-Tree-Person (HTP) test and the Children\'s Apperception Test (CAT), and, to the mother, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Por), as well as a semi-structured psychological Interview and a socio-economic survey. The data analysis was performed from a clinical psychoanalytic perspective of winnicottian approach, in addition to the instruments manuals suggested interpretations. The results indicate, in the current moment of life of the evaluated children, the existence of significant links between the development of antisocial tendency, deprivation of the father figure and specific features of psychodynamic functioning of the absent father. The physical presence of the father was not, by itself, a predictive factor in a successful emotional development of the children; what proved more important was the father\'s prevailing support of a highly responsive interactive space, suited to the needs of the child, so as to facilitate the child\'s process of transicionality and to encourage the consolidation of the capacity for concern. Hence, the children\'s antisocial behaviour seems to be an attempt of compeling the environment to offer them holding and the conditions to resume the transitional process interrupted by the loss of the parent. In addition to the age in which the deprivation occured, the factor of greatest impact on symptoms of the children was not the moment of development in which the rupture had happened, but the level of preservation of a good internal image of the father presented by the children and their mothers, as well as the possibility of reparation for this loss by other figures in the life of the child. The most significant evidence of obstacles in the spontaneity and in the integration of the Self appear to be related to the higher level of \"obliteration\" and \"degradation\" of the paternal imago, which associate with the possibility of sustaining the spontaneous gesture, the creative living and the benign circle. The sense of loss which the children experience is intensified by the mother\'s difficulty in identifying with their children and their alienation from the paternal family. Thus, therapeutic interventions with the families are clearly necessary to ensure the efficiency of the child\'s treatment. Further studies are encouraged in order to broaden the understanding of this subject.

O apoio do ambiente familiar é considerado um fator determinante para o desenvolvimento infantil. Assim, deficiências nas funções materna e paterna podem acarretar o surgimento de diversas patologias mentais na criança, dependendo do estágio evolutivo e a intensidade em que ocorrem. Dentre essas patologias, a Tendência Antissocial Infantil, caracterizada por um continuum de comportamentos agressivos, opositores e de desobediência, que podem produzir um importante prejuízo nas relações sociais do indivíduo, é unanimemente reconhecida na literatura científica como fortemente influenciada pela vida familiar da criança. Estudos científicos apontam para a existência de vínculos entre a ocorrência de comportamentos antissociais e a ausência da figura do pai. Sendo assim, esta pesquisa visou investigar os efeitos da privação precoce ou tardia da figura do pai no desenvolvimento emocional de crianças com tendência antissocial, de modo a averiguar se existem diferenças em sua forma de expressão em função do momento evolutivo em que a perda ocorreu. Foi compreendido como privação o fato dos pais masculinos biológicos não residirem na mesma casa, nem conviverem diariamente com a criança, devido a abandono espontâneo do lar, morte ou reclusão penitenciária. Através de uma metodologia clínico-qualitativa, foram realizados estudos de caso com quatro famílias participantes, em que o filho apresentava frequentes comportamentos antissociais e vivia apenas com a mãe. Na avaliação foram utilizadas, com a criança, o Teste da Casa-Árvore-Pessoa (HTP) e o Teste de Apercepção Temática Infantil (CAT-A), e, com a mãe, o Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ-Por), uma Entrevista psicológica semiestruturada e um questionário sócio-econômico. A análise dos dados foi realizada a partir de uma perspectiva clínica psicanalítica de base winnicottiana, além das cotações propostas pelos manuais dos instrumentos. Os resultados apontam a existência de vínculos significativos, no atual momento de vida das crianças avaliadas, entre o desenvolvimento da tendência antissocial infantil, a privação da figura paterna e algumas características do funcionamento psicodinâmico do pai ausente. A presença física do pai não era, por si só, um fator preditivo do bom desenvolvimento emocional dos filhos, mas, sim, a sustentação realizada predominantemente por eles de um espaço de interação altamente responsivo e adaptado às necessidades das crianças, de modo que o processo de transicionalidade dos filhos era facilitado e a consolidação da capacidade de concernimento incentivada. Nesse sentido, os comportamentos antissociais das crianças parecem remeter a uma tentativa de fazer com que o ambiente novamente lhes ofereça holding e condições para retomar os processos transicionais interrompidos com a perda do genitor. Para além da idade em que ocorreu a privação, o fator de maior impacto sobre a sintomatologia das crianças não foi o momento evolutivo em que a ruptura aconteceu, mas o nível de preservação da boa imagem paterna interna que as crianças e suas mães apresentam, bem como a possibilidade ou não de reparação dessa perda por outras figuras. Os indícios mais intensos do entrave da espontaneidade e da integração do Self aparecem relacionados ao maior nível de \"apagamento\" e \"degradação\" da imago paterna, associada à possibilidade de sustentação do gesto espontâneo, do viver criativo e do círculo benigno. A sensação de perda das crianças é amplificada pelas dificuldades de identificação das mães com seus filhos e pelo afastamento da família paterna. Assim, evidencia-se a necessidade de intervenções terapêuticas familiares para que o tratamento da criança seja efetivo. Outros estudos sobre o tema são necessários para ampliar a compreensão do assunto. / The support of the family environment is considered a determining factor in child development. Thus, shortcomings in maternal and paternal functions can lead to the emergence of various mental disorders in children, depending on the stage of evolution and the intensity in which they occur. Among these pathologies, the Antisocial Tendency in children, characterized by a continuum of aggressive behaviour, oppositional defiance and disobedience, which can significantly harm the social relationships of the individual, is unanimously recognized in the scientific literature as strongly influenced by the child\'s family life. Scientific studies point to the existence of links between the occurrence of antisocial behaviour and the absence of the father figure. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of early or late deprivation of the father figure in the emotional development of children with antisocial tendency, in order to find out if there are differences in their form of expression in terms of the development moment in which the loss occurred. It was understood as deprivation when the biological fathers didn\'t live in the same house or didn\'t spend daily time with the child, due to spontaneous abandon, death or penitentiary imprisonment. Through a clinical-qualitative methodology, case studies were conducted with four participating families, in which the child presented frequent antisocial behaviors and lived only with the mother. In this evaluation consisted of the administration, to the child, of the House-Tree-Person (HTP) test and the Children\'s Apperception Test (CAT), and, to the mother, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Por), as well as a semi-structured psychological Interview and a socio-economic survey. The data analysis was performed from a clinical psychoanalytic perspective of winnicottian approach, in addition to the instruments manuals suggested interpretations. The results indicate, in the current moment of life of the evaluated children, the existence of significant links between the development of antisocial tendency, deprivation of the father figure and specific features of psychodynamic functioning of the absent father. The physical presence of the father was not, by itself, a predictive factor in a successful emotional development of the children; what proved more important was the father\'s prevailing support of a highly responsive interactive space, suited to the needs of the child, so as to facilitate the child\'s process of transicionality and to encourage the consolidation of the capacity for concern. Hence, the children\'s antisocial behaviour seems to be an attempt of compeling the environment to offer them holding and the conditions to resume the transitional process interrupted by the loss of the parent. In addition to the age in which the deprivation occured, the factor of greatest impact on symptoms of the children was not the moment of development in which the rupture had happened, but the level of preservation of a good internal image of the father presented by the children and their mothers, as well as the possibility of reparation for this loss by other figures in the life of the child. The most significant evidence of obstacles in the spontaneity and in the integration of the Self appear to be related to the higher level of \"obliteration\" and \"degradation\" of the paternal imago, which associate with the possibility of sustaining the spontaneous gesture, the creative living and the benign circle. The sense of loss which the children experience is intensified by the mother\'s difficulty in identifying with their children and their alienation from the paternal family. Thus, therapeutic interventions with the families are clearly necessary to ensure the efficiency of the child\'s treatment. Further studies are encouraged in order to broaden the understanding of this subject.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Faculty of the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, June 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1970. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Bernard Mackler. Dissertation Committee: Sheldon R. Roen. Includes bibliographical references.

Since Draper & Harpending (1982) proposed that father absence would be associated with a shift in reproductive strategy, a body of literature has accumulated supporting their claims. This thesis explores further aspects of father absence theory, utilising computergraphic facial processing. It opens with an overview of both father absence theory (Chapter 1) and the Evolutionary Psychology of attraction (Chapter 2). Part 1 Part 1 explores the meaning of masculinity in partner choice scenarios. Male facial masculinity co-varied with facial age but not apparent facial health both in tenns of women's preferences (Study 1) and women's direct perceptions (Study 2). This suggested that masculinity in male faces is not a cue to immunocompetence health status as other authors have suggested, In Study 3, while masculine faces were perceived as more dominant than feminised faces, they were otherwise considered poorer quality partners. It was suggested that masculinity was attractive because of a 'sexy son' mechanism (dominance increasing offspring reproductive success), which was traded off against the anti-social traits associated with masculinity. Part 2 Studies 4, 5 and 6 found that father absence or poor relationships with the parents generally reduced masculinity preference and age preference (although in Study 5, this effect was moderated by relationship status). This contradicted predictions made from traditional father absence literature (that father absence should be associated with a short term strategy and therefore masculinity preference). Sociological explanations were discounted as family background did not relate to the traits women said they desired in a partner (Study 7). Altogether these results raised questions about the attractiveness and self-esteem of father absent females. Part 3 therefore investigated the physical development of these females. Part 3 Study 8 found that marital difficulties between parents were associated with an increase in perceived facial masculinity in both male and female offspring's faces, a decrease in facial attractiveness and increased weight and waist-hip ratio in women. Study 9 found that levels of progesterone were inversely related to quality of parental relationship. The overarching conclusions of the thesis were that there appears to be an effect' of physical masculinisation which is associated with father absence. This masculinisation may be the predicator for previously observed father absence effects, and the results in Part 2. As such, attachment based explanations of father absence effects (such as Belsky et al, 1991) may be redundant.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1999. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lund University, 1995. / Summary in Swedish. Errata sheet inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1999. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.