Personal development

Puberty
A surprising study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University in the USA has underlined the influence of father-daughter relationships on puberty. Girls who get on well with their dad tend to develop physically later on, while those with an absent father experience puberty prematurely. But it's not all a matter of hormones: her appearance can be affected too. A father who denies the physical changes in his teenage daughter or who asks her to dress in a less provocative manner might inhibit the future sexuality of his child. Or to counter this, some girls then put tons of effort into attracting male attention and will have lots of flings.

Self-image
A loving, respectful and proud father can work miracles on his daughter's ego. He gives her confidence and teaches her that she's capable of succeeding. On the other hand, an indifferent father, or worse, a verbally or physically abusive father will cause real damage to the construction of her female identity. If a victim gets used to being badly treated, she'll underestimate herself throughout her life. It's common to find women who are abused by their partner who were also subjected to the same treatment in childhood. It's vital to break the chain, and therapy is often necessary to make women to understand their rights to respect and happiness.