ATTACHMENT STYLE: IMPACTS OF PATERNAL ABSENCE ON ADULT BEHAVIOR

Abstract

The present study addresses the impacts of paternal absence on the formation of attachment styles and adult behavior, based on John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. The research focused on the investigation of scientific publications that discuss the relationship between the lack of a paternal figure during childhood and its emotional and relational repercussions in adulthood. The general objective was to investigate the predominant attachment styles in individuals who experienced paternal absence, identifying the effects of this experience on affective and behavioral development. This is a bibliographic research developed through a narrative literature review, with a qualitative and exploratory approach, using materials retrieved from the BVS/LILACS and PubMed databases, published between 2020 and 2025. The results indicated that paternal absence is strongly associated with the formation of insecure attachment styles, particularly anxious and avoidant types, resulting in greater emotional vulnerability, relational difficulties, and affective instability in adulthood. It is concluded that paternal absence significantly impacts psycho-affective and relational development, reinforcing the importance of the father’s presence as a secure base for building healthy bonds and emotional stability throughout the life cycle.