Paternal Relationships Research Articles

Features of Parent-Child Relationships in Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder

Problematic use of Internet games is recognized as a significant mental health issue for adolescents and their families. The present study investigated features of the parent-child relationship, including trust, communication, and alienation, in the context of adolescents’ Internet gaming problems. A total of 824 secondary school students (402 males and 422 females) aged 12 to 17 years completed a survey on Internet gaming activities; the DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) checklist and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). The results showed that adolescents with Internet gaming problems reported significantly less trust and communication, and greater anger and alienation, in their maternal and paternal relationships, as compared to adolescents without gaming problems. Adolescents at high risk of IGD reported significantly more gaming time with strangers (32.6 % vs. 7.9 %) and were more likely to play massively multiplayer online (MMO) games than non-problem adolescents. However, IPPA total scores did not significantly predict IGD symptoms, after controlling for gender and level of gaming activity, and IPPA scores did not mediate the association between Internet gaming time and IGD symptoms. Although family conflict can be one of the negative consequences of problematic gaming, these results suggest that, based on adolescent self-report, parent-child relationships may be only a weak correlate of Internet gaming problems in general.

Paternal personality traits and parent-child relationships

Paternal personality traits and parent-child relationships

The Role of Boomerang Fathers in Adolescent Female Depression

Depression is a common mental health disorder among adolescents, often first developing shortly after puberty and peaking in young adulthood (Hankin et al., 1998; Thapar, Collishaw, Pine, & Thapar, 2012). Depressive symptoms can fluctuate during adolescence (Wight, Sepulveda, & Aneshensel, 2004) and can have negative consequences for child academic outcomes, self-esteem, and problem behaviors, including alcohol and substance abuse, suicide ideation, and suicide (Harlow, Newcomb, & Bentler, 1986; Lemstra et al., 2008; Marmorstein, 2009). Furthermore, adolescent depression is a precursor to a broad range of psychosocial difficulties in adulthood, including anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder (Copeland, Shanahan, Costello, & Angold, 2009; Fergusson, Horwood, Ridder, & Beautrais, 2005), and is associated with forming less committed romantic unions in early adulthood (Manning, Trella, Lyons, & Du Toit, 2010; Sandberg-Thoma & Kamp Dush, 2014). Although depression is common among both genders, girls are twice as likely to experience depressive symptomatology. This may be related to girls focusing inward on their emotions rather than actively relieving their distress (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001).Although there are biological precursors to depression, research also highlights environmental triggers, such as the family environment. Previous research indicates that father absence (Amato, 1991) and family instability (Brown, 2006) during childhood are associated with long-term child mental health problems. This is especially true for adolescent daughters who experience father absence during early childhood (Culpin, Heron, Araya, Melotti,J Halpern-Meekin & Turney, 2016) or cyclical cohabitors (Nepomnyaschy & Teitler, 2013). These terms refer to partners who cycle in and out of the home because of breaking up and repartnering with the same partner and consequently are in on-again and off-again romantic relationships (Dailey, Pfiester, Jin, Beck, & Clark, 2009; Dailey, Rossetto, Pfiester, & Surra, 2009). As such, the current literature has not investigated how paternal churning (or other more fluid residential patterns of biological fathers) could be associated with adolescent depressive symptomatology. By focusing on how this understudied residential pattern (churning) may influence the parenting role a biological father may enact (which we refer to as boomerang fathering), our research contributes to existing literature by providing national estimates of the proportion of youth who experience cyclical paternal relationships from birth to age 18. Furthermore, we describe the characteristics of households that experience boomerang fathering and compare those characteristics with various father residential patterns. Last, we assess whether boomerang fathering is associated with higher or lower rates of adolescent depressive symptoms among boys and girls.Boomerang FatheringYoung adulthood is seen as a pivotal time point for developing intimate relationships (Arnett, 2000, 2007); thus, research examining on-again and off-again romantic relationships has primarily focused on young adults (e.g., Dailey, Brody, LeFebvre, & Crook, 2013; Dailey, Pfiester, et al., 2009; Dailey, Rossetto, McCracken, Jin, & Green, 2012). Among young adults in dating relationships, 50% to 60% have reported churning with the same partner (Dailey, Pfiester, et al. …

Differences in urbanization degree and consequences on the diversity of conventional vs. rapidly mutating Y-STRs in five municipalities from a small region of the Tyrolean Alps in Austria

In this study we set out to test at a micro-geographic scale for the potential effects of differences in urbanization degree on Y-chromosomal diversity and the paternal lineage differentiation of “conventional” and rapidly-mutating (RM) Y-STR markers. To avoid systematic underrepresentation of common lineages, 551 male samples were collected under a sampling regime allowing for the inclusion of paternal relatives. All participants came from a small, topographically highly structured, yet culturally homogeneous settlement area in the Tyrolean Alps of Austria, a region that is characterized by a longstanding coexistence of communities differing considerably in size and connection. The study participants reported provenance in one of the three rural villages Alpbach, Brandenberg, and Wildschönau – all being separated by topographical barriers from each other – or in one of the two more urban-like and better connected municipalities Kitzbühel and St. Johann in Tirol. When compared with the sample pools from the two larger communities, the three small villages showed distinctly higher rates of self-reported patrilocality since the paternal grandfather (85–95% vs. ∼42%), and featured evidence for a considerably higher proportion of close and cryptic paternal relationships among the study participants. We observed marked differences in the Y-SNP haplogroup frequency spectra and statistically significant Y-STR-based FST distances among the municipality samples, suggesting population sub-structuring along municipality borders. While for the two larger settlements a widely used “core” set of 17 conventional Y-STRs (Yfiler) provided reasonably high lineage resolution (Ĥ: 0.99515±0.00256, 0.99739±0.00224), a markedly reduced haplotype diversity was seen in samples from the rural villages (Ĥ: 0.96126±0.00701–0.98515±0.00278). This difference largely diminished when instead using a set of 13 RM Y-STRs (Ĥ: 0.99180±0.00380–0.99922±0.00187, for all groups). Most notably, in the Alpbach sample the number of different haplotypes rose from 42 (Yfiler) to 99 (RM Y-STRs) and the proportion of matching haplotypes dropped from nearly 4% (Yfiler) to about 0.4% (RM Y-STRs) of the pairwise comparisons. Consistent results were obtained with a reduced version of the dataset, being devoid of inferred close male relatives up to the degree of first cousins. Finally, consequences potentially arising from a gain in lineage-resolution for population reference-sample size requirements will be addressed briefly.

Identity Processes and Parent–Child and Sibling Relationships in Adolescence: A Five‐Wave Multi‐Informant Longitudinal Study

The purpose of this study was to examine reciprocal associations between identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) and dimensions (support, negative interaction, and power) of maternal, paternal, and sibling relationships. A total of 497 Dutch families including 14-years-old adolescents (56.9% males), their fathers, mothers, and siblings, for a total of 1,988 respondents, participated in a five-wave longitudinal study. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that commitment and in-depth exploration predicted improvements in family relationships (unidirectional effects), whereas reconsideration of commitment was predicted by low levels of maternal support and worsened the quality of the paternal relationship (reciprocal effects). These results were not moderated by adolescents' gender and sibling characteristics. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Przypadki błędnych opinii w sprawach spornego ojcostwa – przyczyny rozbieżności w opiniowaniu. Praca poglądowa

In the report we have presented cases where false opinions concerning disputed paternity and blood relationship establishment were issued. In case 1a wrong assumption resulted in a false opinion in which paternity was excluded. The genetic profile of the child’s deceased defendant father was generated from genetic profiles of the child’s grandparents. In the issued opinion it was concluded that the deceased is not the child’s father. Based on analysis of grandparents’ genetic profiles we can only conclude that the child is not their grandchild. In disputed paternity cases where DNA from the child’s relatives (grandparents, siblings etc.) but not its parents is examined, many autosomal STR loci should be determined and if needed, STR loci on chromosome Y and X. Moreover, statistical analysis should be carried out. In case 2 the opinion was issued based on the fact that there were no excluding traits between defended relatives. In case 3 sampling was not done according to the proceedings, which did not allow to establish whether the sent samples were from the people mentioned in the protocol and finally a false opinion was issued. The report confirms a great role of a forensic genetics expert in issuing a true opinion concerning disputed paternity or blood relationship.

Effects of using the GlobalFiler™ multiplex system on parent–child analyses of cases with single locus inconsistency

Parent-child analyses sometimes reveal inconsistency of shared alleles at only one locus. This is conventionally called "single locus exclusion", which results from mutational events and the presence of null alleles. Here, in parent-child analyses of the Japanese population, we detected exclusions by using the GlobalFiler™ system comprising 21 short tandem repeat loci. One- or two-step mutations resulting from strand slippage causing gain or loss were observed in seven of 221 parent-child transmissions. The incidences of single locus inconsistency of alleles were 5.88×10(-2) and 8.40×10(-3) for paternal and maternal relationships, respectively. With calculation using a set of 15 loci in the Identifiler® multiplex system, the combined likelihood ratio (CLR) values were limited to less than 100 in all five cases accompanied by single inconsistency. The addition of six loci recovered the CLR values to over 10,000 in three cases. Application of this advanced system may increase the detected occurrence of mutational events, but it should be beneficial for inference in parent-child analyses, particularly in cases accompanied by genetic inconsistency.

Tracking down the footprints of bad paternal relationships in dissociative disorders: A diffusion tensor imaging study

ABSTRACTPreclinical studies indicate that stress early in life can cause long-term alterations in brain development. Studies have shown alterations in the brain functions of patients after experiencing trauma. Our aim is to examine whether the integrity of white matter tracts might be affected in dissociative disorder (DD) patients. A total of 15 DD patients and 15 healthy controls were studied, with the groups matched by age and gender. Diffusion-weighted echoplanar brain images were obtained using a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Regions of interest were manually placed on directional maps based on principal anisotropy. Apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter were measured bilaterally in the anterior corona radiata (ACR) and by diffusion tensor imaging in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum. Significantly lower FA values were observed in the right ACR of DD patients versus healthy individuals. We also found an association between bad paternal relationships and lower FA in the genu of the corpus callosum in female patients. Alterations in the right ACR suggest that diffusion anisotropy measurement can be used as a quantitative biomarker for DD. Paternal relationships may also affect the brain’s microstructure in women with DD.

Ninety Two Percent: Examining the Birth Trends, Family Structure, Economic Standing, Paternal Relationships, and Emotional Stability of Biracial Children with African American Fathers

This study examines the birth trends, family structure, economic standing, paternal relationships, and emotional stability of biracial children with African American fathers. For study implementation quantitative research methods were used. Questions were asked through a questionnaire that was administered to 1000 women spanning the united States that were equally ranging from 3 different racial groups; Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic. Participants were recruited through the internet, radio, and news. This study finds that 92% of biracial children with African American fathers are born out of wedlock and 82% end up on government assistance. The results of this study make it very clear that biracial children with African American fathers are fatherless on a scale much larger than the public may realize.

The Father, the Father Function, the Father Principle: Some Contemporary Psychoanalytic Developments

The author discusses Freud’s thinking on the role of the father, as well as that of later French theoreticians. To illustrate his remarks, he draws on the poetry of Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1912–1987), a Brazilian poet whose work often dealt with themes of the father, the family, and his own paternal relationship. The author also discusses the psychic formation of the father principle and how this may be evident in the clinical analytic setting, even when the analyst’s approach privileges field theory, intersubjectivity, or other concepts emphasizing the relationship between analyst and patient.

The Association between Unequal Parental Treatment and the Sibling Relationship in Finland: The Difference between Full and Half-Siblings

Studies have shown that unequal parental treatment is associated with relationship quality between siblings. However, it is unclear how it affects the relationship between full and half-siblings. Using data from the Generational Transmissions in Finland project (n = 1,537 younger adults), we study whether those who have half-siblings perceive more unequal parental treatment than those who have full siblings only. In addition, we study how unequal parental treatment is associated with sibling relationship between full, maternal, and paternal half-siblings. First, we found that individuals who have maternal and/or paternal half-siblings are more likely to have encountered unequal maternal treatment than individuals who have full siblings only. Second, we found that unequal parental treatment impairs full as well as maternal and paternal half-sibling relations in adulthood. Third, unequal parental treatment mediates the effect of genetic relatedness on sibling relations in the case of maternal half-siblings, but not in the case of paternal half-siblings. After controlling for unequal parental treatment, the quality of maternal half-sibling relationships did not differ from that of full siblings, whereas the quality of paternal half-sibling relationships still did. Fourth, the qualitative comments (n = 206) from the same population reveal that unequal parental treatment presents itself several ways, such as differential financial, emotional, or practical support.

Help-seeking behaviour among Finnish adolescent males

Background: Adolescent males have a low rate of seeking help for mental health problems. The onset for many psychiatric disorders occur during the adolescence. Previous studies have identified previous help seeking, parental opinion, parental divorce and suicidal thoughts as factors associated with contacting mental health services. Yet studies on the rate of use of mental health services remain few, as do studies concerning factors associated with use of mental health services. Aims: To study prevalence and risk factors of use of mental health services among Finnish adolescent males. Methods: Factors associated with use of mental health services during the preceding 12 months were studied in a general population sample of 4309 men attending military call-up in 2009. The mean age was 18.3 ± 0.45 years. Results: Within the previous 12 months, 3.2% of men had used mental health services and an additional 2.3% had considered contacting mental health services. Factors associated with service use were living alone, having a poor paternal relationship, having no contact with father, death of father, high internalizing symptoms, suicidal thoughts, regular smoking and use of illicit drugs. Frequent drunkenness was associated with mental health service use, whereas occasional use of alcohol was inversely associated with use of mental health services. Conclusions: The rate of mental health service use among males in late adolescence is very low. The inability of young people to contact service providers should be addressed more efficiently. Clinical implications: A majority of the troubled men did not contact professionals for help, although approximately a quarter of the men had a self-perceived mental health problem. A major challenge is to find ways for mental health services to be made more accessible to adolescent males.

The validity of family history as a risk factor in pediatric hearing loss

ObjectivesA family history of permanent childhood hearing loss is considered a risk factor for pediatric hearing loss, although its validity has been sparsely examined. This study aimed to: (1) investigate the prevalence and yield of this risk factor for congenital and postnatal hearing losses, (2) define the audiometric characteristics of hearing loss in children with positive family histories, and (3) assess the nature of the familial relationships. MethodA retrospective cohort study including all children born in Queensland, Australia between September 2004 and December 2011 who had completed Healthy Hearing's newborn hearing screen (n=380,895). Results(1) Prevalence of the risk factor was 1.09% (4138/380,895). Prevalence of the risk factor in congenital cases was 7.29% and in postnatal cases was 36.84%. A low yield was identified for both congenital and postnatal groups (1.43% and 1.7%, respectively). (2) The degree of loss in congenital cases was highly varied, whereas the predominant degree in postnatal cases was mild. The most frequent type of loss for congenital cases was sensorineural, whereas for postnatal cases it was conductive. (3) Maternal or sibling relationships were most commonly reported for congenital losses, and maternal or paternal relationships for postnatal losses. ConclusionsChildren with a family history of pediatric hearing loss should have their hearing screened at birth and be monitored throughout early childhood. However, more efficient surveillance methods should be considered in view of the high prevalence with low yield.

Family Economic Stress, Quality of Paternal Relationship, and Depressive Symptoms among African American Adolescent Fathers.

This study examined the association between perceived family economic stress, quality of father-son relationships, and depressive symptoms among African American adolescent fathers. Data were collected during pregnancy from 65 African American adolescents who were first-time fathers, ages 14-19. Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that higher paternal relationship satisfaction was associated with fewer depressive symptoms among adolescent fathers. Additionally, depressive symptoms were higher among adolescent fathers who reported experiencing higher levels of conflict with their fathers. Further, paternal conflict moderated the effect of perceived family economic stress on depressive symptoms. That is, among adolescent fathers experiencing low levels of conflict with their fathers, high perceived family economic stress was associated with more depressive symptoms. Study findings suggest that the risk for depressive symptoms is highest among adolescent fathers experiencing low family economic stress and highly conflictual relations with their fathers. These results highlight the complexities of paternal relationships and perceived economic stressors on depressive symptoms during pregnancy for African American adolescent fathers. The importance of expanding research on influential familial relationships and economic stressors on adolescent African American fathers is discussed.

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Anxiety Disorders in an Egyptian Sample of School and Students at the Age of 12-18 Years

Background: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are highly prevalent and impairing conditions among children and adolescent. there are some general population studies that have examined these conditions during the early life course. The primary objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence, and socio demographic factors related to GAD in representative sample of Egyptian school students (prep, middle and secondary students), and the correlation between adolescence and socio psychological factors that lead to anxiety disorders in adolescents. Methods: The study included 1200 student (600 from rural area, and 600 from urban area), their age ranged from 12-18 years m we used GHQ (28 items with cut point 14), the anxiety scale and SCID I. Results: the positive clinical cases represent 20.6%, depression is the most prevalent 23.8%, anxiety was (6.69%), body dysmorphic disorder (15.2%), adjustment disorder (13.8%); GAD (9.2%); obsession (7.4%) Conclusions: Findings demonstrate the clinical significance socio demographic factors related to GAD among adolescent youth, and highlighting on the paternal relations.

97 MAGNITUDE AND SPECIFICITY OF EFFECTS OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL GENOMES ON THE FETO-PLACENTAL UNIT

The placenta, a major determinant of fetal growth in eutherians, facilitates maternal-fetal cross talk and mediates programming of postnatal phenotype via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. However, magnitude and specificity of effects of maternal and paternal genomes on placental and fetal phenotype and their relationships are unclear. Using an outbred bovine intra-species model with well-defined Bos taurus taurus and Bos taurus indicus maternal and paternal genetics, we generated purebred and reciprocal cross fetuses (Animal Ethics No. S-094-2005) to dissect and quantify effects of parental genomes, fetal sex, and nongenetic maternal effects (maternal weight and post-conception maternal weight gain) on 41 gross and histomorphological feto-placental parameters. Analysis of data from 73 fetuses recovered at midgestation (Day 153) with general linear models (Xiang et al. 2014 JBMR http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.2263) using the GLM procedure of R version 22.14 (R Development Core Team, Vienna, Austria) revealed that maternal and paternal genome combined explained the highest proportion of variation (47.2–99.5%) in 30 investigated parameters with significant (P < 0.05–0.0001) models. Fetal sex accounted for up to 32.2% (P < 0.05–0.0001) and nongenetic maternal effects for up to 25.1% (P < 0.05–0.001) of variation in 11 and 14 parameters, respectively. Partitioning of parental (epi)genome variation showed that the maternal genome predominantly contributed to variation in gross (80.3–95.7%; P < 0.05–0.0001) and histomorphological (51.5–82.1%; P < 0.05–0.0001) placental parameters, fetal weight (54.1%; P < 0.0001), and fetal organ weights (43.7–73.1%; P < 0.05–0.0001), whereas the paternal genome predominantly contributed to fetal fluids weight (73.0%; P < 0.001), umbilical cord weight (73.9%; P < 0.05) and length (73.2%; P < 0.01), and placental (69.6%; P < 0.05) and umbilical cord (83.2%; P < 0.0001) efficiency. Our finding that the maternal genome determined placental phenotype (i.e. nutrient source) and the paternal genome determined umbilical cord and fetal fluid phenotype (i.e. nutrient flow) is in line with predicted expression patterns of genomic imprinting effects by both maternal-offspring coadaptation (Wolf and Hager 2006 PLoS Biol. 4, e380) and conflict-of-interest (Moore and Haig 1991 Trends Genet 7, 45–49) hypotheses in the feto-placental unit. Furthermore, there were 4 maternal genome determined relationships between placental weights and umbilical cord phenotype (P < 0.05–0.0001) and 28 paternal genome and/or fetal sex-determined relationships between fetus-, organ- and fetal fluid weights and umbilical cord phenotype (P < 0.05–0.0001). The finding of specific relationships between placenta and fetus merging in clusters differentiated by maternal and paternal genome effects suggests the existence of (epi)genetic-regulated morphological modules within the feto-placental unit.Funded by the JS Davies Bequest.

Prostate cancer risk prediction based on complete prostate cancer family history.

BackgroundProstate cancer (PC) relative risks (RRs) are typically estimated based on status of close relatives or presence of any affected relatives. This study provides RR estimates using extensive and specific PC family history.MethodsA retrospective population-based study was undertaken to estimate RRs for PC based on complete family history of PC. A total of 635,443 males, all with ancestral genealogy data, were analyzed. RRs for PC were determined based upon PC rates estimated from males with no PC family history (without PC in first, second, or third degree relatives). RRs were determined for a variety of constellations, for example, number of first through third degree relatives; named (grandfather, father, uncle, cousins, brothers); maternal, paternal relationships, and age of onset.ResultsIn the 635,443 males analyzed, 18,105 had PC. First-degree RRs ranged from 2.46 (=1 first-degree relative affected, CI = 2.39–2.53) to 7.65 (=4 first-degree relatives affected, CI = 6.28–9.23). Second-degree RRs for probands with 0 affected first-degree relatives ranged from 1.51 (≥1 second-degree relative affected, CI = 1.47–1.56) to 3.09 (≥5 second-degree relatives affected, CI = 2.32–4.03). Third-degree RRs with 0 affected first- and 0 affected second-degree relatives ranged from 1.15 (≥1 affected third-degree relative, CI = 1.12–1.19) to 1.50 (≥5 affected third-degree relatives, CI = 1.35–1.66). RRs based on age at diagnosis were higher for earlier age at diagnoses; for example, RR = 5.54 for ≥1 first-degree relative diagnosed before age 50 years (CI = 1.12–1.19) and RR = 1.78 for >1 second-degree relative diagnosed before age 50 years, CI = 1.33, 2.33. RRs for equivalent maternal versus paternal family history were not significantly different.ConclusionsA more complete PC family history using close and distant relatives and age at diagnosis results in a wider range of estimates of individual RR that are potentially more accurate than RRs estimated from summary family history. The presence of PC in second- and even third-degree relatives contributes significantly to risk. Maternal family history is just as significant as paternal family history. PC RRs based on a proband's complete constellation of affected relatives will allow patients and care providers to make more informed screening, monitoring, and treatment decisions. Prostate 75:390–398, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

“Holes in my Memories”: A Qualitative Study of Men Affected by Father Absence

This qualitative study explored adult men's experiences of father absence. Interviews with 21 men between the ages of 24 and 70 explored narratives of father absence and how the men perceived this influenced their life trajectory. Thematic analysis revealed that these men experienced a range of difficulties and challenges, including episodes of sadness and depression associated with loss and grief for the paternal relationship, self-esteem issues, feelings of anger and rejection, and difficulty forming trusting relationships particularly with other men. This study contributes to understanding mental health issues that can be associated with paternal absence for men.

Child Support and the Custodial Mother's Move or Remarriage

When a custodial mother marries a new partner, the income of the custodial household rises. The stepfather may earn much more than the father, or much less. He may or may not assume the social role of father, but his day to day contact and interaction with the child will often be more than the father’s. If the mother and stepfather move together with the child to a location distant from the father, he may be more likely to replace him in the child’s life. Whatever a stepfather’s legal obligations of support, economic realities ensure that his income will have an impact on the child’s financial well-being, and possibly a major impact. Yet the usual understanding is the law excludes the income of the mother’s new husband from consideration in setting the father’s child support obligation. Nor does it consider the impact of the remarriage, or any move, on the ability of the father to maintain a paternal relationship with the child. While these categorical exclusions are found in nearly every state’s formal rules, there are nonetheless examples of departures from them, some longstanding, that exist in particular circumstances, when the economic and social realities have overridden them. The increasing tension between the traditional rules and modern economic and social realities seems likely to present occasions to consider the rules’ reform. This paper asks whether the traditional rules are in fact consistent with the beliefs of citizens as to what the law should provide. It does so by presenting a random sample of several hundred citizens with a set of cases in which they are asked to decide the appropriate level of child support. We then infer their preferred rules by considering how their answers vary with changes in the custodial mother’s circumstances. Results in the cases are supplemented with Likert questions probing citizen views on statements of principle. The results show considerable support for taking remarriage into account in setting child support obligations, especially when the stepfather’s income is higher. While the mother’s relocation to a location distant from the father does not alone affect the support judgments of most respondents, the same move has a significant impact on respondents’ judgments when it is combined with either remarriage or an increase in the mother’s income. These effects are seen in both male and female respondents, although females are less responsive than males to remarriage without relocation. Our respondents appear to take both social and financial factors into account in these judgments, and overall prefer rules that are more nuanced than the categorical rules found in traditional child support law.

Toward male individualization with rapidly mutating y-chromosomal short tandem repeats.

Relevant for various areas of human genetics, Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are commonly used for testing close paternal relationships among individuals and populations, and for male lineage identification. However, even the widely used 17-loci Yfiler set cannot resolve individuals and populations completely. Here, 52 centers generated quality-controlled data of 13 rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs in 14,644 related and unrelated males from 111 worldwide populations. Strikingly, >99% of the 12,272 unrelated males were completely individualized. Haplotype diversity was extremely high (global: 0.9999985, regional: 0.99836–0.9999988). Haplotype sharing between populations was almost absent except for six (0.05%) of the 12,156 haplotypes. Haplotype sharing within populations was generally rare (0.8% nonunique haplotypes), significantly lower in urban (0.9%) than rural (2.1%) and highest in endogamous groups (14.3%). Analysis of molecular variance revealed 99.98% of variation within populations, 0.018% among populations within groups, and 0.002% among groups. Of the 2,372 newly and 156 previously typed male relative pairs, 29% were differentiated including 27% of the 2,378 father–son pairs. Relative to Yfiler, haplotype diversity was increased in 86% of the populations tested and overall male relative differentiation was raised by 23.5%. Our study demonstrates the value of RM Y-STRs in identifying and separating unrelated and related males and provides a reference database.