A comparison of fathers of children attending a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic and a paediatric medical clinic in Trinidad and Tobago

ABSTRACT

Today a large percentage of children in Trinidad and Tobago are growing up in homes without their biological fathers. This situation is also present in the rest of the Caribbean, North America and Europe. This is a trend that is thought to have some psychological, behavioural and academic effects on these children. Several studies have shown that children whose fathers are absent are more likely to show disruptive behaviours, poor academic performance and poor psychological outcomes. When fathers exhibit high antisocial behaviours, their children are at a higher risk of exhibiting behavioural problems. This study compared fathers of children between the ages of five and eighteen who attended a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic and a Paediatric Medical Clinic in Trinidad and Tobago. The results showed that children who attend the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic were more unlikely to live with their biological fathers when compared to those who attend the Paediatric Medical Clinic. Fathers of children who attended the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic also exhibited higher levels of antisocial behaviours (AU)