Pappans betydelse för barnets sociala situation och självbild: En Studie av barn i olika familjekonstellationer i Sverige

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The purpose of the current study was to explore the importance of the father to children's social situation and self image. 102 boys and girls, aged 9–11 years, who were either living with both parents or who had limited contact with the father, were assessed by way of a questionnaire, and through their drawings of their own families. Two questions and the drawings were designed to measure the children's perception of the father's importance and their relationhip to the father. The remaining questions covered the children's social situation among friends and their self image. More children with limited contact than children living with both parents indicated that the father was the most significant male person. Living arrangements also affected the boys' social situation. Only half of those with limited father contact felt that they were well liked by their peers. Girls exhibited a more favorable self image and were rated as having a more secure relationship to their father than did boys, both in intact and in split families. The results support previous research e.g. from Great Britain (Owuso-Bempah & Howitt).