Voices in Relationship: The Significance of a Father’s Influence on Women’s Development

Although literature acknowledges that fathers are critical figures in women’s lives, and the daughter-father relationship is crucial for women’s development of self, this understanding has been paired with a focus on negative developmental consequences instead of emphasizing the positive aspects found within the daughter-father relationship. This study was designed to combine two controversial and impactful areas of research, daughter-father relationships and women’s development of empowerment. Four daughter-father dyads were selected for inclusion based on the daughters’ self-reported positive relationships with their fathers. All four daughterfather dyads identified as Christian and active members of Evangelical culture. Throughout the narratives spirituality was hugely influential in supporting daughters’ identity development.. In order to capture the essence of the inner experiences daughters and fathers have voiced in relationship with one another, the qualitative feminist method the Listening Guide was employed. Through participants’ narratives, voices were identified which spoke of relationship (voices of autonomy, silencing, empathy, yearning, acceptance, approval, attunement, parental guidance, connection, and resistance). Through experiences in connection with their fathers, the daughters were able to begin to organize their sense of self.