Pre- and Post-Divorce Father-Child Relationships and Child Adjustment

Abstract

Divorced noncustodial fathers (n = 106), often disre- garded in the literature, were s w e y e d regarding intluences on their parenting relationships with fheir children, and Ule effects of this relationship on their child's adjustment, prior to and following di- vorce. Social support for fahers' post-divorce parenting involvement and support for and cooperation with their parental role from their ex-wives were predictive of their post-divorce relationships with their children. Fathers' relationships with their children and support for their parental role from their ex-wives contributed significantly to fathers' evaluations of their child's adjustment. The methodologi- cal limitations of this survey approach, and related suggestions for future research, are indicated within the context of the exploration of fathers' continuing role in their child's life and in the study of di- vorce.