The Antecedents and Consequences of Adolescents' Relationships With Stepfathers and Nonresident Fathers

Using data from a sample of 1,149 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health who have both a resident stepfather and a nonresident biological father, this study examines the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of adolescents' closeness to their stepfathers and nonresident fathers. Findings demonstrate that adolescents vary greatly in their likelihood of having close relationships with one or both of their fathers, but when they do so, they appear to benefit. Close relationships with both stepfathers and nonresident fathers are associated with better adolescent outcomes, with ties to stepfathers being somewhat more influential than ties to nonresident fathers.     

Jealousy in Firstborn Toddlers within the Context of the Primary Family Triad

Childhood jealousy has typically been examined in a limited number of jealousy‐evoking contexts and mainly with the mother only, thus providing a narrow view on the manifestations of jealousy. The aim of the present article is to examine childhood jealousy within parent–child dyads and (mother–father–child) triads and across multiple contexts. The sample included 87 Dutch families with a toddler (38 girls, 49 boys, M_age: 23 months). Children were challenged in several jealousy‐evoking situations using social and non‐social objects as rivals during videotaped family play sessions. Children's jealous behavior (e.g., negativity, distraction) and jealous emotions (e.g., anger) were coded. We found the most jealous behavior in contexts including a doll as a rival and the least in the non‐social object conditions. Children showed more jealous behavior toward mothers than fathers. Children showed elevated levels of anger in most jealousy situations.     

Parents’ Expectations About Childrearing After Divorce: Does Anticipating Difficulty Deter Divorce?

Divorce is costly for parents because of the challenges of meeting children’s economic and socioemotional needs after separation. Using the National Survey of Families and Households (N= 1,935), we investigate whether expected economic and parenting costs deter divorce. Mothers expect higher economic costs than fathers, whereas fathers expect more parenting difficulties. Most parents, however, expect high economic and parenting costs. In a large minority of families, mothers and fathers differ in their expected costs. Parenting costs deter divorce, but economic costs do not once other family characteristics are controlled. When parents disagree, mothers’ parenting concerns are a greater barrier to divorce than fathers’ concerns. Finally, parenting costs are a greater barrier to divorce for unhappy than happy couples.     

Two Dads: Gay Male Parenting and its Politicisation — A Cooperative Inquiry Action Research Study

Australian gay men have only recently become parents through surrogacy arrangements. They have had to overcome a discriminatory legal, social, political, cultural and financial environment. A cooperative inquiry action research group was formed, with seven two‐father families conceived via surrogacy, to explore their journey to parenthood and their consequent politicisation as gay fathers. This article reveals how that experience of the cooperative inquiry process strengthened their resolve to be intentionally ‘out’ in their communities to overcome discriminatory and conservative social attitudes. They embraced the political reality of their parenting and were stimulated to create improved support structures for themselves and future parents. This transformed the legal, social, political and cultural environment for their families.     

Adolescent Triangulation Into Parental Conflicts: Longitudinal Implications for Appraisals and Adolescent‐Parent Relations

Although triangulation into parental conflict is a risk factor for child and adolescent maladjustment, little is known about how triangulation affects adolescents' functioning or the factors that lead children to be drawn into parental disagreements. This prospective study examined the relations between triangulation, appraisals of conflict, and parent‐child relations in a sample of 171 adolescents, ages 14 to 19 years, at 2 time points. Cross‐lagged path analyses revealed that youths who experienced greater threat in response to conflict reported increases in triangulation over time, and triangulation was associated with increased self‐blame and diminished parent‐adolescent relations. This study highlights links between intrapersonal, dyadic, and triadic processes and suggests a mechanism by which interparental discord spills over into parent‐adolescent relations.     

Unique Influence of Mothers and Fathers on Their Children's Antisocial Behavior

The social development model ( Catalano & Hawkins, 1996 ) was adapted to examine the unique influence of mothers and fathers on their children's antisocial behavior. Analyses examined 325 families with sixth‐grade children. Structural equation modeling was used to assess unique influences of constructs specific to mothers or fathers. Multiple‐group comparisons were conducted to identify differences in the relationships between constructs for daughters versus sons. Results suggested that, although the relationships were often similar for both parents and for both daughters and sons, mothers and fathers uniquely influenced their child's antisocial behavior depending on the child's gender. Overall, cross‐gender influence appeared to be particularly important for fathers’ control of their daughters’ antisocial behavior. Implications for the prevention of antisocial behavior are discussed.     

Three measures of non‐resident fathers' involvement,maternal parenting and child development in low‐income single‐mother families

This study examined the relationships among non‐resident fathers' involvement, mothers' parenting and parenting stress, and children's behavioural and cognitive development in low‐income single‐mother families. Based on the theoretical concepts of father involvement in terms of accessibility, responsibility and interaction, this study operationalizes fathers' involvement with three different measures: (i) fathers' frequency of contact with their children; (ii) fathers' amount of child support payment; and (iii) fathers' quality of parenting. Analyses used the first three waves of longitudinal data from a subsample of single and non‐cohabiting mothers with low income in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Results suggest that non‐resident fathers' child support payment is indirectly associated with both children's behaviour problems and cognitive development. Fathers' parenting is also found to be indirectly associated with children's behaviour problems. The findings further suggest that those estimated associations are transmitted through mothers' parenting. The expected associations between fathers' contact and child outcomes are not found in this sample. The study also discusses the policy and practice implications of its findings.     

The Experiences and Meanings That Shape Heterosexual Fathers’ Relationships With Their Gay Sons in South Africa

ABSTRACT

Gay men’s relationships with their mothers are likely to be more positive than their relationships with their fathers, and fathers are less likely to be told, less likely to be told first, and more likely to react negatively to disclosure than mothers. Drawing on an interpretivist approach, an individual in-depth interview strategy was adopted in the study as a means of gathering data from six Afrikaans-speaking White fathers, between the ages of 53 and 61 years (median: 55.5 years), residing in Gauteng, South Africa. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for later coding and analysis. Through thematic network analysis, eight organizing themes emerged and were explored. For the purpose of this article only three organizing themes are discussed, namely “subliminal awareness prior to coming out,” “epistemic rupture of internal systems of ideas/beliefs,” and “acceptance as a complex and ongoing dialectical and reconciliatory process.” The themes support the view that most parents are neither totally rejecting nor fully accepting of their gay sons. Although the fathers may have attained a level of “loving denial” in the relationships with their gay sons, most continue to struggle with the meaning and expression of same-sex sexuality. Despite these challenges, it is recognized that the fathers are adapting to changing circumstances and are trying to find ways to tolerate, accommodate, and in some ways accept their gay sons.     

Applying the Developmental Family Therapy Model to Issues of Migrating Families

Migration creates a substantial amount of stress for relocating families. Families lose the predictability of familiar surroundings and they often find themselves without the support systems that existed in their previous homes. Especially, they experience tensions between the primary values of the old and new cultures. This stress and the absence of support can lead to developmental problems for both the adults and children in the family. Developmental family therapy has grown out of individual and family developmental theories (Erickson, 1963; Duvall, 1977; Carter & McGoldrick, 1989; Steinglass, Bennett, Wolin, & Reiss, 1987). This model assumes that problems develop when family patterns block normal development of the family and its members. Family therapy then assists families to make changes in those dysfunctional patterns in order to promote the normal growth of the members. Developmental Family Therapy can help families successfully manage the transition between cultures. This paper first examines the impact of migration on families from a developmental viewpoint. Next, it identifies family therapy strategies helpful to families in that transition.     

Widowers as Single Fathers

This paper suggests that widowed fathers while con- tinuing to fill the traditional family role of provider, are also capable of providing tender, loving care for the emotional and physical needs of their children. Role theory will be used to examine the processes widowers go through as they adapt to their new parenting role and how they cope with their own feelings. Three facets of the parental role that may enhance the widowed fathers relationship with their children will be discussed. Their therapeutic role is to provide conti- nuity and sensitivity to help their grieving children cope with the loss of their mother. Their child socialization role relates to the teaching of family values to their children. The child-care role involves the physical well being of their children. The ecological perspective will be used to examine how they adapt to changes occurring in systems outside the family, such as the workplace. Implications for profes- sionals and recommendations for further study of the widower as custodial parent will be discussed.