In researching a Journal of Marriage and Family article on “Consequences of Parental Divorce for Adult Children’s Support of Their Frail Parents,” I found the following references useful in understanding long-term perspectives on parent-child bonds in general. [1-2]
- Dads
Parental divorce is likely to weaken adult children’s relationships with their fathers because most children live with their mothers after parental divorce and men’s bonds to their children usually occur through ties to the children’s mother (Furstenberg & Cherlin, 1991; Townsend, 2002). Once the union dissolves, the bonds between fathers and their children are likely to weaken. [3]
Remarriage could weaken children’s relationships with their fathers further, as remarried fathers are likely to reduce their support to children as a result of increasing demands from the new obligations to children acquired in subsequent marriages (Furstenberg, 1995). [4]
Past research has consistently shown that parental divorce and remarriage have negative consequences for adult children’s relationships with their fathers. Compared with older fathers who are still married to their children’s mother, divorced fathers are more likely to have a detached relationship with their adult children (Rossi & Rossi, 1990; Silverstein & Bengtson, 1997)…. [5-6]
- Moms
Parental divorce is also likely to weaken adult children’s relationships with their mothers because divorced, resident mothers have fewer resources to invest in their children, compared with married parents (Hoffman & Duncan, 1988). Divorce often causes emotional stress as well, consequently reducing resident mothers’ energy to devote to their children (Hetherington, Cox, & Cox, 1978); Thomson, McLanahan, & Curtin, 1992). [7-9]
Remarriage may further weaken children’s relationships with their mothers, as children may perceive that a remarried mother will not give them as much time and attention as she did prior to remarriage (Furstenberg & Cherlin, 1991).
Off-Site References
“Studies on parental divorce and adult children’s relationships with their parents” / August 14, 2019 / Michigan Divorce Negotiation (accessed August 12, 2024)
- Journal of Marriage and Family (accessed August 12, 2024)
- I-Fen Lin / February 2008 / Journal of Marriage and Family, Volume 70, Number 1 / National Council on Family Relations / Department of Sociology, Bowling State University
- Cherlin A J and Furstenberg, F F, Jr / 1991 / Divided Families: What happens to children when parents part (Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts)
- Furstenberg, F F, Jr, Hoffman, S D, and Shrestha, L. / 1995 / “The effect of divorce on intergenerational transfers: New evidence” / Demography, 32 (pages 219-333)
- Rossi, A S, and Rossi, P H / 1990 / Of human bonding: Parent-child relations across the life course (Aldine de Gruyter: New York)
- Bengtson, V L and Silverstein, M / 1997 / “Intergenerational solidarity and the structure of adult child-parent relationships in American families” / American Journal of Sociology, 103 (pages 429-460)
- Duncan, G J, and Hoffman, S D / 1988 “What are the economic consequences of divorce?” / Demography, 25 (pages 641-645)
- Cox, M, Cox, R, and Hetherington, E M / 1978 / “The aftermath of divorce” / in M Mathews and J H Stevens (editors), Mother-child, father-child relationships (National Association for the Education of Young Children: Washington, DC (pages 148-176)
- Curtin, R B, McLanahan, S S, and Thomson, E / 1992 / “Family structure, gender, and parental socialization” / Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54 (pages 368-378)