Social wokers' views of the risky behaviour of adolescents growing up without a father

Abstract

Father absence is a crucial factor in understanding the behaviour of adolescents and younger children. Reports of child and youth misbehaviour, for instance; school-related misbehaviours, early sexual activities, substance abuse, aggression and violence are frequent at schools and in the communities. The absence of a father may lead to adolescents engaging in risky behaviour. On the other hand, research indicates that the positive contribution of the father in the family can potentially contribute to a decrease in risky behaviour in adolescents and shield them from abuse and exploitation.

Social workers deal with families, including children who present with risky behaviour. The social workers thus have experience in this context. The research study aimed at exploring and describing the views of social workers on the risky behaviours displayed by adolescents who are raised without their fathers in the City of Ekurhuleni South Africa. The study was applied research, qualitative and underpinned by the Family Systems and Bioecological theoretical frameworks. Purposive sampling as non-probability sampling was used to select participants from the study population. Face-to-face and semi-structured interviews were conducted by the researcher to collect data from nineteen participants working in four different organisations providing social welfare services to children and families in Ekurhuleni.

The researcher followed a thorough data analysis process to thematically analyse the data to ensure the quality and trustworthiness of the findings. Findings were categorised into six main themes which centred on the circumstances confronting adolescents in Ekurhuleni, the roles of fathers towards adolescents, father absence and the parentification of children, the emotional well-being of adolescents growing up without a father, father absence and misbehaviour in adolescents and recommendations made by participants to address father absence and related social problems.

Recommendations from the study are that adolescents growing up without fathers need access to recreational services, life skills and therapeutic services to help them cope with the absence of their fathers. Mentorship programmes are necessary to empower both adolescent boys and girls to break the cycle of father absence and become responsible adults in the future. The recommendations are for social workers, policymakers, and organisations to consider when working with children and families to effectively address father absence, and suggestions for future research were made. The study gives a better understanding of the underlying problems of adolescent misbehaviour and how father absence can negatively affect the well-being of adolescents.

Key Concepts • Adolescence • Children • Father absence • Risky behaviour • Fatherhood • Social workers