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Father Absence And Early Family Composition As A Predictor Of Menarcheal Onset: Psychosocial And Familial Factors That Are Associated With Pubertal Timing., Amanda Christel Healey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Father absence and the introduction of a stepfather before menarche have been shown to contribute to the early onset of menarche. The present study analyzes the effects of father absence situations that tend to result on the onset of menarche. Presence of a related male in a father-absent homes is also considered as a protective factor for menarcheal onset. Participants consisted of 342 female students enrolled in undergraduate work at a southeastern university. The mean age of participants was 20.7 years. Participants completed a survey consisting of 12 questions pertaining to their family environment before menarche. Participants were asked to …