Poppa Psychology: The Role of Fathers in Children’s Mental Well-Being

Many people seem to be searching for answers to help explain their past, understand their current way of being, and create a happier, more satisfying future. It is the current trend to blame mothers for such emotional problems. Poppa Psychology calls into question this habit of blaming mothers, and focuses, instead, on the father-child relationship. Regardless of whether the father is present or absent, his actions will have a direct influence on the child's development.

Fathers have received a great deal of media attention lately, but the main focus has been on their absence. Poppa Psychology deals with the psychological ramifications of the father-child relationship, regardless of whether the fathers are present or absent. Specifically, it highlights factors that are related to maladjustment in children and provides suggestions for raising psychologically healthy children.

VICKY PHARES is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.