Absent Father Timing, Criminal Behavior, and Arrest Across the Life Course

Abstract

Although prior research has examined the link between having an absent biological father and self-reported delinquency, few studies have assessed the influence of the timing of paternal absence (i.e., the child’s age when father leaves). Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the present study examines the impact of the timing of biological father absence on delinquency and arrest across the life course. Results of negative binomial regression reveal that biological father absence before birth, early in childhood, (birth to age 5) and late adolescence (age 14 to 18) was significantly related to delinquency and arrest in adulthood. Paternal absence occurring during middle childhood (age 6 to 13), however, was only predictive of arrest in adulthood. These findings suggest that paternal presence prior to teenage years may serve as a protective factor against delinquency later in the life course. Examining the link between child age at paternal absence and delinquency may provide insight into underlying developmental mechanisms influencing behavioral outcomes across the life course.