Why the Father Wound Matters: Consequences for Male Mental Health and the Father-Son Relationship.

Adult men often report a sense of feeling a father wound when reflecting on their own father-son relationship. Perhaps in part due to a rejection of traditional fathering practices that may have contributed to such wounds, fathers today are increasingly adopting a 'new involved father' role that is more welcoming of emotional expression and involvement in a child's life. This paper argues that adopting this new role may allow men to not only connect with their sons, but also to come to terms with problematic aspects of their own father-son relationship. In this way, fathering a son may allow men to alter aspects of their self. Limitations and future directions for the father wound construct are also discussed. (Author abstract)