Adult Men's Self-Esteem: The Relationship with the Father

This study examined 80 men to determine if their relationship with their fathers during childhood/adolescence could predict self-esteem in adulthood. Adult men's perceptions of their fathers were measured using the Fatherhood Scale (FS). Using logistic regression, the type of relationship with the father, the subject's education, subject's father's education, parental divorce, and whether they lived with their father during childhood/adolescence correctly classified 75% of the men in the predicted self-esteem group. Results indicate significant differences in self-reported measures of fathering between the two groups of men on eight out of the nine FS subscales. The type of relationship these men had with their fathers during childhood was related to self-esteem in adulthood.