Objective This study investigates the determinants of parental involvement in diverse types of stepfamilies. Background Most research has studied parental involvement in married stepfather families with resident children. This study also includes some of the more recent and emerging stepfamily types (e.g., living‐apart‐together [LAT] stepfamilies) allowing for a simultaneous examination of the role of biological relatedness, type of relationship, residence, and gender for parental involvement. It also examines whether the role of biological relatedness differs depending on parents' gender and children's residence. Method Multiple regression analyses were conducted using the New Families in the Netherlands (NFN) survey, large‐scale data collected among divorced and separated parents with minor children (2015/16; N = 3218). Results Biological parents were more involved than stepparents (i.e., a stepgap was observed). This stepgap was smallest in married stepfamilies, followed by cohabiting stepfamilies and LAT stepfamilies, respectively. (Step)parents with resident children were more involved than those with nonresident children, with involvement being higher for full‐time resident children than part‐time resident (i.e., joint physical custody) children. The stepgap was larger for resident children than nonresident children, but did not differ between mothers and fathers. Conclusion Biological relatedness, type of relationship, and where children reside are important determinants of parental involvement, whereas more nuance is required for the role of parents' gender.

Perceived ethnic discrimination is known to decrease minorities’ life satisfaction. This research investigates the extent to which minorities’ local and transnational co-ethnic social ties mitigate the negative effects of perceived discrimination on life satisfaction. Put differently, focusing on the experiences of Turkish and Moroccan minorities, we discuss whether co-ethnic social ties, both locally and transnationally embedded, can be considered as coping mechanisms against perceived discrimination. Furthermore, we investigate whether these mechanisms work differently for first- and second-generation minorities. Using Netherlands Longitudinal Life-course Study, we reveal that perceived discrimination is positively associated with local co-ethnic social ties in Netherlands which consequently predicts higher life satisfaction for both generations. Surprisingly, we also show that only among the second generation perceived discrimination is associated with stronger transnational co-ethnic social ties, but not the first generation. Having these transnational ties however are beneficial for life satisfaction of both generations. Consequently, we highlight the importance of recognizing transnational embeddedness of minorities and studying the effects transnational co-ethnic social ties on subjective well-being outcomes especially for second-generation minorities.

ObjectiveThis study describes patterns in stepparents' financial contributions and investigates their correlates in diverse stepfamily types.BackgroundMost research has studied contributions at the household level, rarely focusing on stepparents' direct contributions. Including various stepfamily structures (e.g., stepfamilies with joint physical custody), we examine the role of gender and postdivorce family structure for stepparents' contributions.MethodOrdinal logistic regression analyses were conducted using the New Families in the Netherlands (NFN) survey, large‐scale data collected among divorced and separated parents with minor children (2015/2016). Reports of respondents with a new partner about this stepparent's financial contributions to a specific focal child were analyzed (N = 1,439).ResultsStepparents' contributions were infrequent, but a sizable minority contributed very often. Stepparents contributed more often when married, when the focal child was coresident, and when the other biological parent of the focal child was repartnered with new biological children, but less often when stepparents had children from a prior relationship.ConclusionContributions depend on the strength of ties within stepfamilies—as with coresidence and marriage—and to what extent existing biological ties compete with stepparent–child relationships.ImplicationsTo better understand the dynamics of contributions, we should also consider the composition of biological ties surrounding stepparent–child relationships.

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This study investigates how the quality of family relationships and children’s residence arrangements are associated with stepparent-child relationship quality. Prior literature has studied these factors separately, with the role of family relationships often studied only among stepfamilies with co-resident children. Little is known about how the relevance of family relationships varies depending on where children reside. The opportunity structure (e.g., contact frequency) within which various family relationships influence each other can differ across residence arrangements. This study, therefore, investigates the roles of multiple family relationships across children’s various residence arrangements - including the more contemporary arrangement of shared residence. Multiple regression analyses with moderation techniques were conducted using the New Families in the Netherlands (NFN) survey, large-scale data collected in 2020 among divorced and separated parents with a minor or (young) adult focal child ( N = 1829). We found for each family dyad (between the biological parent and the focal child, between the biological parent and the stepparent, and between the stepparent and the other biological parent of the focal child) that a high relationship quality was associated with higher stepparent-child relationship quality. Their importance, however, varied across residence arrangements. Poor relationship quality of the biological parent-child dyad and the stepparent-other biological parent dyad was associated with a poor stepparent-child relationship, especially when the focal child was nonresident. Whereas, there was a positive association between the stepcouple relationship and stepparent-child relationship quality primarily for children living full-time with the stepfamily. Altogether, the relationship quality of various family dyads spills over to the stepparent-child dyad - though the extent of this spillover differs depending on the opportunity structure determined by children’s residence.