Brief
Many couples in the United States are choosing to live together before marriage. Young people in particular, seem to believe that living together first is a good idea. Research shows, however, that couples who live together before getting married: Have a higher divorce rate; Tend to be less happy in their marriages; Have more trouble communicating. This is especially true for couples who live together before plans are made to marry.
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Journal Article We use data from three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N = 2,111) to examine the prevalence and effects of mothers' partnership changes between birth and age 3 on children's behavior. We find that children born to unmarried and minority parents experience significantly more partnership changes than children born to parents who are married or White. Each transition is associated with a modest increase in behavioral problems, but a significant number of children experience 3 or more transitions. The association between instability and behavior is mediated by maternal stress and lower…
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Journal Article Research indicates that closeness of the father-child bond following parental divorce is associated with better outcomes for children and adolescents. Unlike other investigations, this study takes a long-term developmental approach to understanding stability and change in postdivorce father-adolescent relationship closeness. Drawing on Add Health data (n = 483), we examine factors that explain (a) why some high-quality father-adolescent relationships remain the same after divorce whereas others decline, and (b) why some low-quality relationships are stable following divorce whereas others…
Brief
You're overjoyed to be a father, and that's putting it mildly. So why are you also feeling emotionally spent - After all that buildup, all the planning and spending and drama, your child has been born?and you feel not only run-down (that's the sleep deprivation) but also a tiny bit letdown. Welcome to the Postpartum Dads Club, when you suddenly realize why the word postpartum is so often followed by depression. Not everyone experiences the so-called baby blues, but expect a profusion of emotions that can last from a few weeks to a year - in both of you (fortunately usually only one of you…
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Being a successful divorced dad--that is maintaining a good relationship with the children despite being divorced from their mother--is an extra burden for dads to bear. What can you do to have a greater probability of success in this situation? This fact sheet offers divorced dads suggestions for fostering positive father-child relationships. (Author abstract, modified)
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Many divorced fathers are faced with the reality of visitation- an often negotiated, mediated and all too brief time they are able to spend with their children. In many cases, visitation is very limited, compared to the relationship dads used to be able to enjoy, so it's absolutely crucial that dads make this visitation time the best possible experience for their children and themselves. This fact sheet suggests a few ideas for making the most of your visitation. (Author abstract, modified)
Brief
This book is designed for parents who might be facing significant challenges in their marriage, and for those who might be contemplating separation or divorce. The book highlights ideas about marriage and divorce, of which all parents should be aware, before making the final step towards divorce. This information is from various sources including the author's own professional thoughts and his experiences while counseling those who have separated or divorced. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article The purpose of this paper is to determine whether divorced parents exhibit a diminished capacity to parent in the period following divorce. Using 2 waves of data from a national survey of Canadian children, the current study prospectively follows 5,004 children living in 2-biological parent households at initial interview and compares changes in parenting practices between households that subsequently divorce and those that remain intact. Results show that divorce is unrelated to changes in parenting behavior, suggesting that there are more similarities than differences in parenting among…
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Churches are bulwarks of marriage in urban America. Analyses of data from the Fragile Familiesand Child Wellbeing Study indicate that urban parents who attend church frequently are significantlymore likely to marry before the arrival of children or to marry in the wake of a nonmaritalpregnancy, and they are more likely to experience higher levels of relationship quality. The churchattendance of fathers is a particularly powerful predictor of marital behavior and relationshipquality. Religious attendance appears to foster behavior among urban fathers that makes them moreattractive mates and…
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Journal Article We examined the relationship between fathers' human, social, and financial capital and future marital plans among 176 pregnant adolescent mothers and the fathers of their babies. Fathers' social capital proved to be the most significant resource in relation to marital plans. Mothers and fathers were significantly more likely to plan to marry when the father was involved in the pregnancy and when there was less couple conflict. Couples were more likely to agree about marriage when the mother and father agree that the father was involved in these aspects of parenting and when the couple agrees…
