This article reviews literature regarding nonresidential paternal involvement postdivorce. Attempts have been made to understand nonresidential fathers’ contact with their children from a variety of perspectives including level and quality, theoretical, sociocultural influences, legal, maternal, childhood, paternal, and paternal postdivorce grief. In most cases, the authors found elements of grief throughout the literature. However, current literature has not integrated these elements into a framework for understanding fathers’ postdivorce contact through a grief lens. Thus, this article explores the issue of familial and paternal grief and makes suggestions for future areas of research.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Retrospect and prospect . American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52, 664-678 .
2.
Cooksey, E. C., & Craig, P. H. (1998). Parenting from a distance: The effects of paternal characteristics on contact between nonresidential fathers and their children . Demography, 35, 187-200 .
3.
Cooney, T. M., & Uhlenberg, P. (1990). The role of divorce in men’s relations with their adult children after mid-life . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, 677-688 .
4.
Dudley, J. R. (1991). Increasing our understanding of divorced fathers who have infrequent contact with their children . Family Relations, 40, 279-285 .
5.
Eggebeen, D. J., & Knoester, C. (2001). Does fatherhood matter for men? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63, 381-393 .
6.
Fox, G. L., & Bruce, C. (2001). Conditional fatherhood: Identity theory and paternal investment theory as alternative sources of explanation of fathering . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63, 394-403 .
7.
Furstenberg, F. F., Jr., & Harris, K. M. (1992). The disappearing American father? Divorce and the waning significance of biological parenthood. In S. J. South & S. E. Tolnay (Eds.), The changing American family: Sociological and demographic perspectives (pp. 197-223). Boulder, CO: Westview .
8.
Geasler, M. J., & Blaisure, K. R. (1998). A review of divorce education program materials . Family Relations, 47, 167-175 .
9.
Hill, L. C., & Hilton, J. M. (1999). Changes in roles following divorce: Comparison of factors contributing to depression in custodial single mothers and custodial single fathers . Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 31, 91-114 .
10.
King, V. (1994). Nonresident father involvement and child well-being: Can dads make a difference? Journal of Family Issues, 15, 78-96 .
11.
King, V., & Heard, H. E. (1999). Nonresident father visitation, parental conflict, and mother’s satisfaction: What’s best for child well-being? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 385-396 .
12.
Kruk, E. (1994). The disengaged noncustodial father: Implications for social work practice with the divorced family . Social Work, 39, 15-25 .
13.
Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. New York: Macmillan .
14.
Leite, R. W., & McKenry, P. C. (2002). Aspects of father status and post divorce father involvement with children . Journal of Family Issues, 23, 601-623 .
15.
Lenhardt, A. C. (1997). Grieving disenfranchised losses: Background and strategies for counselors . Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 35, 208-216 .
16.
Madden-Derdich, D. A., & Leonard, S. A. (2002). Shared experiences, unique realities: Formerly married mothers and fathers’ perceptions of parenting and custody after divorce . Family Relations, 51, 37-45 .
17.
Meyer, D. R., & Garasky, S. (1993). Custodial fathers: Myths, realities, and child support policy . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 73-89 .
18.
Mullett, E. K., & Stolberg, A. L. (1999). The development of the Co-Parenting Behaviors Questionnaire: An instrument for children of divorce . Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 31(3/4), 115-137 .
19.
Nielsen, L. (1999). Demeaning, demoralizing, and disenfranchising divorced dads: A review of the literature . Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 31(3/4), 139-177 .
20.
Pistole, C. M. (1996). After love: Attachment styles and grief themes . The Family Journal, 4, 199-207 .
21.
Rando, T. A. (1984). Grief, dying, and death. Champaign, IL: Research Press .
22.
Rando, T. A. (1985). Bereaved parents: Particular difficulties, unique factors, and treatment issues . Social Work, 30, 19-23 .
23.
Rando, T. A. (1993). Treatment of complicated mourning. Champaign, IL: Research Press .
24.
Rettig, K. D., Leichtentritt, R. D., & Stanton, L. M. (1999). Understanding noncustodial fathers’ family and life satisfaction from resource theory perspective . Journal of Family Issues, 20, 507-538 .
25.
Schwab, R. (1997). Parental mourning and children’s behavior . Journal of Counseling and Development, 75, 258-265 .
26.
Seltzer, J. A. (1991). Relationship between fathers and children who live apart: The father’s role after separation . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 53, 79-101 .
27.
Shapiro, A., & Lambert, J. D. (1999). Longitudinal effects of divorce on the quality of the father-child relationship and on fathers’psychological wellbeing . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 397-408 .
28.
Sorensen, E. (1997). Anational profile of nonresident fathers and their ability to pay child support . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 59, 785-798 .
29.
Stephens, L. S. (1996). Will Johnny see daddy this week? Journal of Family Issues, 17, 466-494 .
30.
Stone, G. (2001). Father post divorce well-being: An exploratory model . The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 162, 460-477 .
31.
Stone, G., & McKenry, P. (1998). Nonresidential father involvement: A test of a mid-range theory . Journal of Genetic Psychology, 159, 313-336 .
32.
Teachman, J. D., Tedrow, L. M., & Crowder, K. D. (2000). The changing demography of America’s families . Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62, 1234-1246 .
33.
Thomas, P. (1996). Big boys don’t cry? Mental health and the politics of gender . Journal of Mental Health, 5(2), 107-110 .
34.
van Schaick, K., & Stolberg, A. L. (2001). The impacts of paternal involvement and paternal divorce on young adults’ intimate relationships . Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 36(1/2), 99-121 .
35.
Wilbur, J. R., & Wilbur, M. (1988). The noncustodial parent: Dilemmas and interventions . Journal of Counseling and Development, 66, 434-437 .
