Age-Related Variations in Father Presence and Academic Motivation: A Data-Driven Network Perspective

This study examines the role of father presence in adolescents’ academic motivation. It focuses on identified regulation, which is a form of extrinsic motivation that is internalized and connected to personal values. We collected data from 675 Chinese adolescents and used network analysis to explore how different dimensions of father presence relate to identified regulation. We divided the data and compared the networks of three age groups with clear developmental patterns. The influence of feelings about the father (FLF), perceptions of father involvement (INF), and physical relationships with the father (PHF) get gradually weakened with age. In contrast, perceptions of father influence (CFI) steadily increased and became the most significant factor in the late adolescence. These findings suggest that the changing importance of father presence in adolescent development and provide useful insights for educators who are seeking to increase young people's motivation and engagement.