Factores psicosociales que influyen en la preferencia de los hijos varones hacia el padre.

Abstract

Introduction: The configuration of parent-child relationships has undergone significant transformations, with an increasing number of children and adolescents expressing an explicit preference for the paternal figure, particularly in contexts involving family breakdown, child custody, and legal proceedings, creating the need to understand the psychosocial factors underlying this phenomenon. Objective: To analyze the influence of the emotional bond, socioeconomic status, time spent together, and parenting styles on boys’ preference for their paternal figure in cases of family breakdown. Methodology: A qualitative, descriptive-analytical literature review was conducted using a systematic search of Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Taylor & Francis, Frontiers, and ScienceDirect, combining MeSH and DeCS descriptors with Boolean operators. Articles published between 2016 and 2026 in both Spanish and English were included. Results: The findings showed that the quality of the father-son emotional bond was the most significant factor influencing preference and acted as a protective factor against anxiety: socioeconomic status, time spent together, and paternal presence had an indirect influence, while the quality of that time proved to be a more influential factor than physical presence. An authoritative parenting style fostered more secure bonds, whereas authoritarian and permissive styles weakened them. Conclusion: The psychosocial factors analyzed influenced the emotional attachment of sons toward their fathers in an interrelated, rather than isolated, manner, and the need to incorporate a comprehensive assessment of these variables into expert reports focused on the best interests of the child was emphasized.