Father's death affects early adolescents' futures in developing world

Article here. Excerpt:

'"Certain negative effects of a father's death can't be compensated for by the mother or other relatives," said Mary Shenk, assistant professor of anthropology in MU's College of Arts and Science. "The loss of a father can result in lower adult living standards for the bereaved children. Not only is a child emotionally affected, but the lack of a father's earning power can cause children to get married younger or drop out of school in order to work."

Recognizing the importance of fathers to adolescents could lead to improvements in aid programs for youths who have lost their fathers. If Shenk's research were expanded to collect more data, she contends it could be used to help develop an evaluation system that would measure the degree of risk that children face from the loss of their fathers. In poorer regions of the world, a measurement tool could help aid organizations to prioritize children who have the greatest need of assistance.'