Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorce Family

doi:10.1300/J002V29N04_02

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Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorce Family

Journal Article•DOI•

Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorce Family

Sanford L. Braver¹, William A. Griffin¹•Institutions (1)

Arizona State University¹

05 Jun 2000-Marriage and Family Review (Haworth Press)-Vol. 29, Iss: 4, pp 247-267

TL;DR: The authors found that the loss of this sense of paternal authority appears to occur, in part, because fathers perceive that the legal system and their divorce settlements were unfair to them, and the custodial mother limits the father's role within the post-divorce family.

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Abstract: SUMMARY Data we collected in longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of divorcing families provide an empirical basis for understanding the dynamics of divorced fathering. Our findings focus on the difficult circumstances of divorced fathers, rather than on their defective characters. We find that fathers continue visiting and paying at high levels when they perceive that they retain some degree of paternal authority. The loss of this sense of paternal authority appears to occur, in part, because fathers perceive that the legal system and their divorce settlements were unfair to them. We also find that the custodial mother, who sometimes sees little value in the father's involvement, limits the father's role within the post-divorce family. These findings formed the theoretical foundation for an intervention we developed for recently divorced fathers called DADS FOR LIFE. This 8-week program focuses on retraining divorced fathers' attitudes and motivations by teaching them skills to manage conflict with t...

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Citations

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Journal Article•DOI•

Justice, Gender, and the Family

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Paul William Kingston, Susan Moller Okin

01 May 1990-Journal of Marriage and Family

434 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

The Relationship between Maternal Gatekeeping, Paternal Competence, Mothers' Attitudes about the Father Role, and Father Involvement:

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Jay Fagan¹, Marina Barnett¹•Institutions (1)

Temple University¹

01 Nov 2003-Journal of Family Issues

TL;DR: This article explored the relationship between maternal gatekeeping, mothers' perceptions of father competence and mothers' attitudes about the father role, and the amount of father involvement with children, and found that mothers' gatekeeping was causally linked to the father involvement.

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Abstract: This study explored the relationships between maternal gatekeeping, mothers' perceptions of father competence, mothers' attitudes about the father role, and amount of father involvement. The sample consisted of 30 nonresidential and 72 residential fathers. The results of path analysis revealed that residential status of the father had a direct link to mothers' gatekeeping behavior. Father competence was indirectly and directly linked to amount of father involvement with children. Gatekeeping mediated the relationship between father competence and involvement. Maternal gatekeeping was causally linked to amount of father involvement.

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392 citations

Cites background from "Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorc..."

...Additionally, custodial mothers sometimes limit the father’s involvement with his children because they see little value in the father’s continued role (Braver & Griffin, 2000; Braver & O’Connell, 1998)....
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...However, the lack of paternal involvement may be related also to mothers’ restrictions on fathers (Braver & Griffin, 2000; Braver & O’Connell, 1998)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

An experimental evaluation of theory-based mother and mother-child programs for children of divorce

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Sharlene A. Wolchik¹, Stephen G. West¹, Irwin N. Sandler¹, Jenn-Yun Tein¹, Douglas Coatsworth¹, Liliana J. Lengua¹, Lillie Weiss¹, Edward R. Anderson¹, Shannon M. Greene¹, William A. Griffin¹ - Show less +6 more•Institutions (1)

Arizona State University¹

01 Jan 2000-Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

TL;DR: Postintervention comparisons showed significant positive program effects of the mother program versus self-study condition on relationship quality, discipline, attitude toward father-child contact, and adjustment problems.

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Abstract: This study evaluated the efficacy of 2 theory-based preventive interventions for divorced families: a program for mothers and a dual component mother-child program. The mother program targeted mother-child relationship quality, discipline, interparental conflict, and the father-child relationship. The child program targeted active coping, avoidant coping, appraisals of divorce stressors, and mother-child relationship quality. Families with a 9- to 12-year-old child (N = 240) were randomly assigned to the mother, dual-component, or self-study program. Postintervention comparisons showed significant positive program effects of the mother program versus self-study condition on relationship quality, discipline, attitude toward father-child contact, and adjustment problems. For several outcomes, more positive effects occurred in families with poorer initial functioning. Program effects on externalizing problems were maintained at 6-month follow-up. A few additive effects of the dual-component program occurred for the putative mediators; none occurred for adjustment problems.

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226 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Annual Research Review: Interparental conflict and youth psychopathology: an evidence review and practice focused update

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Gordon Thomas Harold¹, Ruth Sellers¹•Institutions (1)

University of Sussex¹

01 Apr 2018-Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

TL;DR: Evidence is reviewed and an integrated theoretical model is presented, highlighting how children are affected by interparental conflict and what this evidence base means for effective intervention and prevention program development, as well as the development of possible cost-benefit models.

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Abstract: The quality of the interparental relationship is recognized as an important influence on child and adolescent psychopathology. Historically, clinically oriented research on this topic has focused on the impacts of parental divorce and domestic violence as primary interparental relationship influences on child outcomes, to the relative neglect of dimensional or qualitative features of the couple/interparental relationship for youth (child and adolescent) psychopathology. Recent research has highlighted that children are affected by attributes of interparental conflict, specifically how parents express and manage conflicts in their relationship, across a continuum of expressed severity and negativity - ranging from silence to violence. Furthermore, new evidence highlights that children's emotional, behavioral, social, academic outcomes, and future interpersonal relationships are adversely affected by conflict between parents/carers whether adults are living together or not (i.e. married or separated), or where children are or are not genetically related to their rearing parents (e.g. adoption). We review evidence and present an integrated theoretical model, highlighting how children are affected by interparental conflict and what this evidence base means for effective intervention and prevention program development, as well as the development of possible cost-benefit models. Additionally, we review policy implications of this research and highlight some very recent examples of UK-based policy focusing on addressing the interparental relationship and its impact on youth psychopathology.

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195 citations

Cites background from "Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorc..."

...Children had lower internalizing symptoms where fathers participated in DfL. Cookston & Finlay (2006); Braver et al 2005; Braver & Griffin (2000) US Collaborative Divorce Project (CDP) Pruett, Insabella & Gustafson (2005) Skills training Voluntary more intensive court-based program for families....
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Good Dads—Bad Dads: Two Faces of Fatherhood

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Frank F. Furstenberg

01 Jan 1988

187 citations

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References

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Book•

Growing Up With a Single Parent: What Hurts, What Helps

[...]

Sara McLanahan, Gary D. Sandefur

01 Jan 1994

TL;DR: In this paper, the role of parenting and the community connection in single-parenting is discussed and why we care about single-parenthood, and what should be done about it.

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Abstract: Why We Care about Single Parenthood How Father Absence Lowers Children's Well-Being Which Outcomes Are Most Affected What Hurts and What Helps The Value of Money The Role of Parenting The Community Connection What Should Be Done Appendixes Notes Index

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2,516 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Parental divorce and the well-being of children: a meta-analysis.

[...]

Paul R. Amato, Bruce Keith

01 Jul 1991-Psychological Bulletin

TL;DR: This meta-analysis involved 92 studies that compared children living in divorced single-parent families with children live in continuously intact families on measures of well-being, finding some support was found for theoretical perspectives emphasizing parental absence and economic disadvantage, but the most consistent support is found for a family conflict perspective.

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Abstract: This meta-analysis involved 92 studies that compared children living in divorced single-parent families with children living in continuously intact families on measures of well-being. Children of divorce scored lower than children in intact families across a variety of outcomes, with the median effect size being .14 of a standard deviation. For some outcomes, methodologically sophisticated studies yielded weaker effect sizes than did other studies. In addition, for some outcomes, more recent studies yielded weaker effect sizes than did studies carried out during earlier decades. Some support was found for theoretical perspectives emphasizing parental absence and economic disadvantage, but the most consistent support was found for a family conflict perspective.

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1,935 citations

"Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorc..." refers background in this paper

...…these goals, we try to change two proximal outcomes: improve the quality and quantity of the father-child relationship and improve the nature of the father-mother relationship, since conflict between the parents seems to account for the most variance in children’s adjustment (Amato & Keith, 1991)....
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...Considerable evidence suggests the degree of parental conflict is the single strongest independent predictor of children’s well-being after divorce (Amato & Keith, 1991)....
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...For example, a meta-analysis by Amato and Keith (1991) of all the published literature on factors influencing children’s adjustment to divorce demonstrates that, in a majority of families, a close relationship with divorced fathers provides unmistakable benefits to children.1 Moreover, the results…...
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Book•

Justice, Gender, and the Family

[...]

Susan Moller Okin

01 Jan 1989

TL;DR: In the first feminist critique of modern political theory, Okin this article shows how the failure to apply theories of justice to the family not only undermines our most cherished democratic values but has led to a major crisis over gender-related issues.

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Abstract: In the first feminist critique of modern political theory, Okin shows how the failure to apply theories of justice to the family not only undermines our most cherished democratic values but has led to a major crisis over gender-related issues.

...read moreread less

1,185 citations

Book•

Surviving the breakup : how children and parents cope with divorce

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Judith S. Wallerstein, Joan B. Kelly

01 Jan 1980

TL;DR: In this article, a clinical psychologist views the feelings of depression and loss which are characteristic of divorce as a symptom of separation and proposes a method to help children and parents cope with divorce.

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Abstract: Subtitled How Children and Parents Cope With Divorce A clinical psychologist views the feelings of depression and loss which are characteristic of divorce Published by Basic Books

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982 citations

"Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorc..." refers background or result in this paper

...In contrast to the highly self-selected samples used by Wallerstein and Kelly (1980b) or Hetherington et al. (1978), however, this sample involved families that were strongly representative of those who divorced in the region....
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...Moreover, this is consistent with survey data (including our own findings) that show that divorced fathers are less angry at their ex-spouse than are divorced mothers, and that their anger diminishes faster (Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980b)....
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...A large number of studies have examined the relationship between the child’s well-being and the quality contact with the noncustodial parent (e.g., Hess & Camara, 1979; Hetherington, Cox, & Cox, 1978; Kurdek & Berg, 1983; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980a)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

The aftermath of divorce.

[...]

Myra J. Wise¹•Institutions (1)

Boston Children's Hospital¹

01 Jan 1980-The American Journal of Psychoanalysis

583 citations

"Engaging Fathers in the Post-Divorc..." refers background or result in this paper

...For example, Hetherington et al. (1978) and Fulton (1979) reported that two years after the divorce about 30% of the fathers rarely saw their children or had ceased to visit altogether....
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...In contrast to the highly self-selected samples used by Wallerstein and Kelly (1980b) or Hetherington et al. (1978), however, this sample involved families that were strongly representative of those who divorced in the region....
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