Prevention Programs for Divorced Nonresident Fathers

Abstract

Divorced nonresident fathers are a promising target for preventive efforts to assist families after divorce. The research literature suggests that such programs should focus both on the frequency and the quality of the child's contact with the father, as well as the quality of postdivorce mother-father relations. Dads For Life ( DFL) is the program for this target group with the most convincing evidence of preventive effects. This eight-week program centers on professionally made videos. It was tested in a randomized trial with 214 families. In comparison to control families, children in families in which the father participated in DFL had significantly lower internalizing problems. The preventive impact of DFL was strongest for the most troubled youngsters.

Non-Residential Father–Child Involvement, Interparental Conflict and Mental Health of Children Following Divorce: A Person-Focused Approach

“…However, it is notable that more recently collected samples indicate patterns of father contact similar to those in the present study (Cheadle et al, 2010). This limitation is, of course, shared with all other studies of fathers’ post-divorce involvement that are based on samples that divorced several decades ago (e.g., Braver, Griffin, & Cookston, 2005; Fabricius et al 2012; Maccoby, Depner, & Mnookin, 1988). A second limitation is that the current sample consisted of families in which mothers and their children participated in an experimental trial of a program for divorced families that included multiple eligibility criteria, including primary maternal residence (Wolchik et al, 2000).…”

Los efectos del conflicto parental después del divorcio sobre el rendimiento educativo de los hijos

“…Mediation services and parental training courses for divorced parents may facilitate these objectives (Emery et al, 2005;Fariña and Arce, 2005;Emery, 1994). In the United States, for example, a programme for divorced parents called 'Dads for Life' has been promoted to encourage the involvement of the non-resident parent in the care of the children and reinforce upbringing skills, work to reduce parental conflict and foster joint parenting (DeGarmo et al, 2008;Cookston et al, 2006;Braver et al, 2005). Other programmes also implemented in the United States involve children in programmes such as 'Children's Support Group', 'Children of Divorce Intervention Project' (Pedro-Carroll, 2005) and 'New Beginnings' (Wolchik et al, 2002).…”

“…Los servicios de mediación y cursos de educación parental dirigidos a padres divorciados pueden facilitar estos objetivos (Emery et al, 2005;Fariña y Arce, 2005;Emery, 1994). En Estados Unidos, por ejemplo, se ha impulsado el programa «Dads for Life» dirigido a padres divorciados que, además de promover la implicación del padre no residente en el cuidado de los hijos y reforzar las habilidades de crianza, trabaja para reducir el conflicto interparental e incentivar la coparentalidad (DeGarmo et al, 2008;Cookston et al, 2006;Braver et al, 2005). Otros programas también implementados en Estados Unidos involucran a los hijos en los programas como «Children's Support Group», «Children of Divorce Intervention Project» (Pedro-Carroll, 2005) y «New Beginnings» (Wolchik et al, 2002).…”

Separated fathers and the ‘fathers’ rights’ movement

“…Interparental conflict is a leading stressor for children after divorce, and a powerful predictor of child maladjustment (Braver et al, 2005a;Marsiglio et al, 2000). Indeed, shared care arrangements involving ongoing levels of high parental conflict are more damaging for children than other arrangements with high conflict (Fehlberg and Smyth, 2011).…”