A life history theory of father absence and menarche: a meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Level 1 by design analogy (systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies), not clinical CEBM.
PubMed 25299880 · doi:10.1177/147470491401200202
What was done
A random-effects meta-analysis of correlational studies (k = 33, N = 70,403) was conducted to evaluate the relationship between biological father absence and daughters' age at menarche. The authors tested for publication bias using Egger's regression and assessed potential moderation by outcome measure type (direct menarcheal age vs. pubertal timing scale) and study publication year.
What was found
The weighted mean correlation between father absence and earlier menarche was .14 (95% CI [.09, .19]), indicating a statistically significant association with heterogeneous effect sizes across studies. Egger's regression showed no statistically significant publication bias (r = .34, p = .052). Neither outcome measure differences nor study year significantly moderated the effect sizes.
Why it matters
This study provides the first quantitative meta-analytic evidence supporting life history theory's prediction that father absence is associated with accelerated reproductive maturation in daughters.
Limits
Included studies were correlational, precluding causal inference. Substantial effect size heterogeneity was observed and not explained by the tested moderators. Egger's test was borderline significant (p = .052), and potential confounding variables (e.g., socioeconomic status, genetics) were not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Girls raised with a non-biological father tend on average to reach puberty earlier than girls raised with their biological father.