The impact of pornography addiction on children and adolescents is a growing concern in our society. While both parents contribute uniquely to a child’s development, recent insights and therapeutic models, including those from the SABR program at Family Strategies Counseling Center, emphasize the critical role fathers play in helping their children build resilience against such addictions. By engaging in intentional fathering, men can help shape their children’s inner identity, confidence, and moral compass—key defenses against the pull of pornography and other compulsive behaviors.

Educational Strategies

Fathers are not just co-parents—they are vital educators in a child's emotional, psychological, and moral development. Kyle Pruett, MD, a leading voice in the importance of father involvement, defines fathering not as a passive or distant role but as active and meaningful: “What I mean by fathering is involved fathering” (Pruett, 2001, p. 19). Pruett outlines key behaviors of engaged fatherhood: feeling and behaving responsibly, being emotionally engaged and physically present, providing material support, and actively influencing child-rearing decisions (p. 19). When fathers embody these roles, they create an environment where children feel safe, seen, and guided—essential conditions for fostering self-worth and inner strength.

Pornography addiction thrives in secrecy, shame, and disconnection—often the result of emotional voids in early development. Fathers who consistently show up in their children’s lives bridge these gaps with presence and empathy. Educational strategies for fathers include open conversations about healthy sexuality, modeling self-control and respect, and helping children process their emotions constructively. These actions reduce the likelihood that a child will seek out harmful content for comfort or escape.

The Role of Therapeutic Intervention

The SABR (Sexual Addiction and Betrayal Recovery) program provides an evidence-based framework that integrates therapeutic and relational healing. It emphasizes identity development, emotional regulation, and moral grounding—areas where fatherly influence is especially potent. Informed by experts such as Mark Laaser and Jay Stringer, the program addresses how early relational dynamics, particularly father-child interactions, influence the development of compulsive sexual behavior.

Research by Laaser and others confirms that when children feel emotionally connected to their fathers, they are more likely to develop resilience and a coherent sense of self, reducing their vulnerability to addiction triggers. Therapeutic interventions that involve fathers in the recovery process—whether through counseling, support groups, or structured family sessions—can reinforce these protective mechanisms. They also allow fathers to heal their own relational wounds, breaking generational cycles of shame and addiction.

Conclusion

Preventing pornography addiction in children is not just a maternal task—it is a father’s duty as well. By being emotionally available, morally influential, and consistently supportive, fathers shape the very identity and strength their children will carry into adulthood. When paired with structured therapeutic programs like SABR, this active fathering becomes a powerful tool for prevention and healing. As Kyle Pruett (2001) affirms, true fathering involves responsibility, presence, and engagement—qualities every child deserves from their father.

Family Strategies Counseling Center has actively serviced clients since 2000 in treatment for pornography addiction or sexually compulsive behavior. Our SABR program for adults and Valor groups for young men can help you! Give us a call (800) 614-8142 or visit our website for more information: https://familystrategies.org/sabr.html.

References

Pruett, K. D. (2001). Fatherneed: Why father care is as essential as mother care for your child. Broadway Books.