The Infuence of Child Development on Father Absence

Diah Ayu Pitaloka1 , Intan Nur Aini Subandi2 , Tatu Zakiyatun Nufus3

Psychology faculty of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

In this case it can be ascertained that children really need the role of fathers as their example in the development process. Mothers have an important role in parenting, fathers must also take part in parenting. As we know so far, fathers only play a role in providing physical sustenance, but don't forget the inner sustenance that children really need too. Parental care is a major factor in building a child's character. Inequality in the development of emotions and intelligence in children can occur, if one of the two parents is absent. Children who experience fatherless or the absence of a father figure in their lives, have difficulty in forming self-identity and self-confidence. This phenomenon occurs in orphans or children who in their daily lives do not have a close relationship with their father. The absence of these important roles will have an impact on potential challenges in managing their emotions, difficulty forming stable interpersonal relationships, low motivation to learn, their peer interactions can be affected, feelings of anger, shame because they are different from other children, and cannot experience the experience of being together with a father that other children feel. This makes Fatherless children need more attention so that something negative does not happen to them.    

   

Keywords: Fatherless, Father Absence, Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence, Achievement Intelligence 

Introduction

Every child have developed in their physical, cognitive, affective and psychomotor. Development occurs very rapidly during early childhood or referred to as the golden age. The developmental period of each child will never be separated from the role of parents as caregivers. The developmental role of parents greatly influences the quality of a child's character in educating, socializing and positively controlling the behavior of their children, such as actively monitoring children and meeting their needs (Rodrigues, Altafim, Pereira, Nogueira, & Schiavo, 2022 In the journal Nurjannah et al, 2023). According to John Bowlby's theory (1982), explaining a child can be supported by an inner relationship attachment and a safe environment in preparing for the future. According to him, the father is a figure who plays a very big role. This has been proven by the significant impact on children's future development due to the lack of a father's role in attachment behavior in children.

A child who loses the role of the father in the development process is called fatherless. This condition occurs when a child has a father but does not play a maximum role in the process, resulting in emotional intelligence and learning achievement in children. The term fatherless is still very unfamiliar to the Indonesian people, they are more familiar with the term brokenhome or single mom. This is due to the fact that developmental literature is dominated by maternal conceptions, resulting in a lack of research that addresses the issue of the father's role in child development. In fact, fatherless has a long impact on child development, especially in terms of emotional intelligence and achievement.

Based on previous research, Purwindarini, et al (2014), said that the involvement of the father's role in the development process greatly affects children's learning achievement. This is similar to the results of research conducted by Wulandari, et al (2023), saying that fatherless results in low learning motivation in children. However, based on the results of research by Wijayanto (2020), said that parents are models for children so that democratic parenting can encourage emotional intelligence in children. The results of this study are supported by the results of research in an Islamic perspective conducted by Muali, et al (2022), saying that emotional intelligence in children is caused by two factors, one of which is external factors that come from the interaction of children and parents. In addition, Kiromi (2023), said that a child who experiences fatherless conditions will experience an imbalance in psychological and moral development in children. Based on these various research results, researchers are interested in examining more broadly the impact of fatherless on child development, especially on the development of emotional intelligence and achievement.