Email this article Rethinking Fatherlessness: Gender, Parental Role Inequality, and Its Impacts on Children
Abstract
ENGLISH: The purpose of this study is to analyze the absence of fathers, both physically and psychologically, and its impact on child development within the cultural and gender context in Indonesia. This study employs a literature review method by analyzing relevant articles that discuss father absence in Indonesian families. The analysis results show that father absence is a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses behavioral, affective, cognitive, and spiritual dimensions. While physical absence of the father can often be mitigated by substitute roles such as close relatives or social figures, psychological father absence is more detrimental as it leads to identity disturbance, emotional insecurity, and difficulties in relational development for children. In conclusion, psychological father absence has a more profound and lasting impact than physical absence. The implications of this study emphasize the need for family counseling approaches that recognize the importance of psychological father involvement in supporting child development and addressing structural gender inequalities in family roles.
INDONESIAN: Tujuan studi ini adalah untuk menganalisis ketidakhadiran ayah, baik secara fisik maupun psikologis, serta dampaknya terhadap perkembangan anak dalam konteks budaya dan gender di Indonesia. Studi ini menggunakan metode tinjauan literatur dengan menganalisis artikel-artikel relevan yang membahas ketidakhadiran ayah dalam keluarga Indonesia. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa ketidakhadiran ayah adalah fenomena multidimensional yang meliputi dimensi perilaku, afektif, kognitif, dan spiritual. Ketidakhadiran fisik ayah seringkali dapat diatasi oleh peran pengganti seperti kerabat dekat atau figur sosial, namun ketidakhadiran ayah secara psikologis lebih berbahaya karena menimbulkan gangguan identitas, ketidakamanan emosional, dan kesulitan dalam perkembangan relasional anak. Kesimpulannya, ketidakhadiran ayah secara psikologis memiliki dampak yang lebih dalam dan berkepanjangan dibandingkan ketidakhadiran fisik. Implikasi studi ini menekankan perlunya pendekatan konseling keluarga yang mengakui pentingnya keterlibatan psikologis ayah dalam mendukung perkembangan anak dan mengatasi ketidaksetaraan gender struktural dalam peran keluarga.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29300/hawapsga.v7i2.10038
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