This study tested a model hypothesizing mothers' level of involvement as well as marital conflict, mothers' work hours, and father's status as biological or step father as influences on coresident father involvement. The analysis also tested hypotheses about mother involvement as a potential mediator of the effects of marital conflict and maternal work hours on father involvement, and hypotheses about factors influencing mother involvement. Primary data were provided by children aged 10-14 from the NLSY79 who resided with their biological or step father and with their mother. A composite…
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Journal Article This article studied the relations of children's mental health problems to the warmth of their relationship with their noncustodial father and custodial mother and the level of conflict between the parents. Using a sample of 182 divorcing families, multiple regression was used to test the independent effect of father warmth, mother warmth, and interparental conflict. Results indicated that father warmth and mother warmth were both independently related to lower child-externalizing problems. However, the relations between mother and child warmth and child-internalizing problems were different…
When parents split up, it's hard on everyone in the family, especially children. This page contains
1) a video where families share their experiences parenting together while living apart, where they discuss how community resources helped them work through conflict and achieve a positive dynamic for their children; and,
2) a co-parenting guide full of information about ways parents who live apart can work together to take care of their children.
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The authors have developed a framework for thinking about what kinds of services and programs would be appropriate for separating fathers (which can apply to mothers as well). These fall into three key domains: facilitating fathers' parenting and their adaptation to structural changes affecting the entire family, the process of emotional and legal separation from a partner/significant other or spouse, and their individual emotional and psycho-social needs. This framework was presented as a research poster in October 2008 at the Father Involvement 2008 Diversity, Visibility, Community…
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This poster, presented at Father Involvement 2008, Diversity Visibility Community is a visual representation of a conceptual framework for orienting services for separated and divorced fathers. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article A stress-buffering hypothesis for parenting was tested in a county-representative sample of 218 divorced fathers. Social support for parenting (emergency and nonemergency child care, practical support, financial support) was hypothesized to moderate effects of stress (role overload, coparental conflict, and daily hassles) on fathers' quality parenting. No custody fathers relied more on relatives compared with custodial fathers, who relied more on new partners for parenting support. No differences by custody status were found on levels of support or parenting over time. Parenting support…
Sharing quality time with your family can build stronger relationships and foster a sense of wellbeing for all family members. The family vacation is a traditional part of the American summer and is intended to forge these family bonds in a relaxed environment. We all know that family vacations can often be expensive due to costs such as fuel, rental cars, food, lodging and even plane tickets. Don't despair! There are a variety of ideas for family fun both inside and outside of the house that will not break the bank. This tip sheet will offer some direction on how you can make that happen! (…
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Journal Article Associations between preschoolers' attachment security, fathers' involvement (i.e. parenting behaviors and consistency) and fathering context (i.e. fathers' internal working models (IWMs) and use of social support) were examined in a subsample of 102 fathers, taken from a larger sample of 235 culturally diverse US families. The authors' predicted that fathers' involvement would mediate associations between children's attachment security and less proximal fathering context. Fathers completed questionnaires regarding their parenting behaviors, IWMs of adult relationships, their use of social…
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Journal Article Accounts of fathers' reluctance to engage with locally based family learning groups rarely acknowledge the relationship between learning and identity. This tends not to be the case in parallel accounts of women's reluctance to become involved in groups or networks where the mainstream clientele is male. Drawing on the case study of a national initiative aimed at developing family literacy in local communities throughout the UK, it is argued that decisions to join or not to join these groups is primarily social and cultural rather than individual. This means that the attendance of fathers…
The quality of parents' romantic relationship has important implications for a father's involvement with his child. Both the quality of the mother-father relationship and the level and type of father involvement are critical for children's positive development. This fact sheet discusses the implications and importance of relationship quality on the well-being of fathers not only in their role as parents but also in other areas of their lives as well as its impact on fathers' involvement with their children. (Author abstract)
