Personality dynamics of adolescent boys where the father was absent.

The effects of substitute adult male role-models were examined for 60 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 years. Significant mean differences were found on Depression, Hypochondriasis, and Suspiciousness scales of the MMPI and Guilt and Assaultiveness of the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. Interpretation of scores showed that fatherless boys who had substitute male role-models were similar in personality to boys with fathers. Adolescent boys without fathers and from lower socioeconomic families were significantly more similar in personality to young offenders.