Abstract
Well-being is defined as a person’s state of being healthy, happy, and content with their
existence. It has several mental, physical, emotional, and social elements. Adolescence is the
period of life between childhood and adulthood, lasting from the ages of 10 to 19. It is a distinct
period of human development and a critical time for creating the foundation for optimal health.
However, adolescents often face many challenges during this period due to rapid physical,
emotional, and social changes. These transitions can lead to increased vulnerability, making
adolescents more likely to engage in risky behaviours such as substance use, self-harm, and
unsafe sexual practices.
Fathers, like mothers, are essential in the development of a child’s well-being. The aim of this
research was thus to determine fathers’ influence on adolescents’ well-being to formulate
recommendations for adolescent empowerment in the attainment of well-being.
A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive and correlational research design was employed
to assess and analyse fathers’ influence on adolescents’ well-being. A total of 460
questionnaires were distributed, of which 447 were completed and analysed, resulting in a
97.1% response rate. A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to determine
the population for the study. The collected data were captured on an Excel spreadsheet and
presented as descriptive statistics and frequency distributions using tables and figures. The
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) method within the IBM Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS) Version 29 (2024) was used to conduct a thorough examination of the data.
The validity and reliability of the research instrument were established to ensure accurate and
consistent results. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Johannesburg, the
Gauteng Department of Education, and the relevant schools before data collection began.
Throughout the study, the researcher adhered to the ethical principles of informed consent,
autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, to protect the rights and well-being of
all respondents.
The study revealed the perceived impact of the father-child relationship on adolescents’ wellbeing.
The majority of respondents (40.9%) reported that this relationship had a positive
influence on their overall well-being, while 27.2% experienced both positive and negative
effects. Additionally, 23.0% indicated a negative impact, and 9.0% stated that the relationship
had no impact. The study’s results provided an in-depth understanding of fathers’ influence
on adolescents’ well-being in eTwatwa, Ekurhuleni, South Africa. Based on these findings, the...