Research: 1-in-4 U.S. Children Live in Fatherless Homes, Spurring Mental Health and Behavioral Issues

About one in four children in the United States are living in fatherless homes, making them far more likely to suffer from mental health and behavioral issues, research details.

An issue brief published by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) finds clear correlations between children raised in fatherless homes and developmental challenges such as anger problems, violent tendencies, and overall lower educational scores.

U.S. Census Bureau data shows that as of 2022, more than 18 million children across the nation live in fatherless homes — indicating that about one in four children do not have a father figure in their household.