International Journal of Family Therapy

, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp 177–191 | Cite as

The effect of divorce on fathers: An overview of the literature

  • John W. Jacobs
Article
  • 73 Downloads

Abstract

Divorce is becoming a major mental health problem in the United States. With rare exceptions psychological attention has usually focused on the effect of divorce on children and mothers. The author suggests that as some fathers become more involved in family nurturing they will be more intensely affected by marital disruption, particularly as it involves changes in the relationship to their children. A review of the recent psychological literature on divorce and custody is presented as a framework for understanding the divorcing father who is requesting psychiatric help.

Keywords

Mental Health Health Problem Health Psychology Mental Health Problem Social Issue 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abarbanel, A. Shared parenting after separation and divorce: A study of joint custody.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1979,49, 320–329.Google Scholar
  2. Abelin, E.L. The role of the father in the separation-individuation process. In J.B. McDevitt & C.F. Settlage (Eds.),Separation-individuation. New York: International Universities Press, 1971.Google Scholar
  3. Abelin, E.L. Some further observations and comments on the earliest role of the father.International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1975,56, 293–302.Google Scholar
  4. Benedek, E.P. Child custody laws: Their psychiatric implications.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1972,129, 326–328.Google Scholar
  5. Benedek, T. Parenthood as a developmental phase: A contribution to the libido theory.Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1959,7, 389–417.Google Scholar
  6. Benedek, E.P., & Benedek, R.S. New child custody laws: Making them do what they say.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1972,42, 825–834.Google Scholar
  7. Benedek, E.P., & Benedek, R.S. Joint custody: Solution or illusion?American Journal of Psychiatry, 1979,136, 1540–1544.Google Scholar
  8. Benedek, R.S., & Benedek, E.P. Postdivorce visitation: A child's right.Journal of American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1977,16, 256–271.Google Scholar
  9. Bernstein, B.E. Lawyer and counselor as an interdisciplinary team: Preparing the father for custody.Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling, 1977,3, 29–40.Google Scholar
  10. Bloom, B.L.Changing patterns of psychiatric care, New York. Human Sciences Press, 1975.Google Scholar
  11. Bloom, B.L., Asher, S.J., & White, S.W. Marital disruption as a stressor: A review and analysis.Psychological Bulletin, 1978,85, 867–894.Google Scholar
  12. Briscoe, C.W., & Smith, J.B. Depression and marital turmoil.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1973,29, 811–817.Google Scholar
  13. Briscoe, C.W., & Smith, J.B. Depression in bereavement and divorce.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1975,32, 439–443.Google Scholar
  14. Briscoe, C.W., Smith, J.B., Robins, E., et al., Divorce and psychiatric disease.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1973,29, 119–125.Google Scholar
  15. Coogler, O.J.Structured mediation in divorce settlement. Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books, 1978.Google Scholar
  16. Coogler, O.J. Divorce mediation for “low income” families: A proposed model.Conciliation Courts Review, 1979a,17, 21–26.Google Scholar
  17. Coogler, O.J.A reference guide to the family conciliation unit. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: Circuit Court, Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, 1979b.Google Scholar
  18. Coogler, O.J., Weber, R.E., & McKenry, P.C. Divorce mediation: A means of facilitating divorce and adjustment.Family Coordinator, 1979,28, 255–259.Google Scholar
  19. Dell, P.F. & Appelbaum, A.S. Trigenerational enmeshment: Unresolved ties of single-parents to family or origin.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1977,47, 52–59.Google Scholar
  20. Derdeyn, A.P. Child custody consultation.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1975,45, 791–801.Google Scholar
  21. Derdeyn, A.P. Child custody contests in historical perspective.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1976,133, 1369–1376.Google Scholar
  22. Despert, J.L.Child of divorce. Garden City, N.Y.: Dolphin Books, 1962.Google Scholar
  23. Fisher, O.E. A guide to divorce counseling.Family Coordinator 1973,22, 55–61.Google Scholar
  24. Friedman, H.J. The father's parenting experience in divorce.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1980,137, 1177–1182.Google Scholar
  25. Gardner, R.A. Social, legal, and therapeutic changes that should lessen the traumatic effects of divorce on children.Journal of American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 1978,6, 231–247.Google Scholar
  26. Gardner, R.A.The parents book about divorce. New York: Bantam Books, 1979.Google Scholar
  27. Gasser, R.D., & Taylor, C.M. Role adjustment of single parent fathers with dependent children.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 397–401.Google Scholar
  28. Glick, P.C. Children of divorced parents in demographic perspective.Journal of Social Issues, 1979,35, 170–182.Google Scholar
  29. Goldman, J., & Coane, J. Family therapy after the divorce: Developing a strategy.Family Process, 1977,16, 357–362.Google Scholar
  30. Goldstein, J., Freud, A., & Solnit, A.J.Beyond the best interests of the child. New York: Free Press, 1973.Google Scholar
  31. Goode, W.J.Women in divorce. New York: Free Press, 1956.Google Scholar
  32. Greif, J.B. Fathers, children and joint custody.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1979,49, 311–319.Google Scholar
  33. Haynes, J.M. Divorce mediator: A new role.Social Work, 1978,23, 5–9.Google Scholar
  34. Herzog, E., & Sudia, C.E. Children in fatherless families.Review of Child Development Research, 1973,3, 141–232.Google Scholar
  35. Hetherington, M.E., Cox, M., & Cox, R. Divorced fathers.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 417–428.Google Scholar
  36. Hozman, T.L., & Froiland, D.J. Families in divorce: A proposed model for counseling the children.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 271–276.Google Scholar
  37. Ilfeld, F.W., Ilfeld, H.Z., & Alexander, J.R. Does joint custody work? A first look at outcome data of relitigation.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1982,139, 62–66.Google Scholar
  38. Kalter, N., Children of divorce in an outpatient psychiatric population.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1977,47, 40–51.Google Scholar
  39. Kalter, N., & Rembar, J. The significance of a child's age at the time of parental divorce.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1981,51, 85–100.Google Scholar
  40. Kelly, J.B., & Wallerstein, J.S. The effects of parental divorce: Experience of the child in early latency.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1976,46, 20–32.Google Scholar
  41. Kelly, J.B., & Wallerstein, J.S. Brief interventions with children in divorcing families.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1977,47, 23–29.Google Scholar
  42. Keshet, H.F., & Rosenthal, K.M. Fathering after marital separation.Social Work, 1978,23, 11–18.Google Scholar
  43. Kressel, K., & Deutch, M. Divorce therapy: An in-depth survey of therapists' views.Family Process, 1977,16, 413–433.Google Scholar
  44. Kressel, K., Jaffee, N., Tuchman, B., et al. A typology of divorcing couples: Implications for mediation and divorce process.Family Process, 1980,19, 101–116.Google Scholar
  45. Lamb, M. The role of the father: An overview. In M. Lamb (Ed.),The role of the father in child development. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1976.Google Scholar
  46. Lambert, L., & Hart, S. Who needs a father?New Society, 1976,8, 80.Google Scholar
  47. Lang, D.M., Papenfuhs, R. & Walters, J. Delinquent females' perceptions of their fathers.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 475–481.Google Scholar
  48. Leader, A.L. Family therapy for divorced fathers and others out of home.Social Casework, 1973,54, 13–19.Google Scholar
  49. McDermott, J.F. Divorce and its psychiatric sequelae in children.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1970,23, 421–427.Google Scholar
  50. McDermott, J.F., Jr. Parental divorce in early childhood.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1968,124, 1424–1432.Google Scholar
  51. McDermott, J.F., Tseng, W., Char, W.F., et al. Child custody decision making: The search for improvement.Journal of American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1978,17, 104–116.Google Scholar
  52. Mendes, H.A. Single fathers.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 439–444.Google Scholar
  53. Morrison, J.R. Parental divorce as a factor in childhood psychiatric illness.Comprehensive Psychiatry, 1974,15, 95–102.Google Scholar
  54. Orthner, D.K., Brown, T., & Ferguson, D. Single-parent fatherhood: An emerging family life style.Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 429–437.Google Scholar
  55. Pedersen, F.A. Does research on children reared in father-absent families yield information on father influences?Family Coordinator, 1976,25, 459–464.Google Scholar
  56. Radin, N. Father-child interaction and the intellectual functioning of four-year-old boys.Developmental Psychology, 1972,6, 353–361.Google Scholar
  57. Radin, N. Observed paternal behaviors as antecedents of intellectual functioning in young boys.Developmental Psychology, 1973,8, 369–376.Google Scholar
  58. Roman, M., Haddad, W.The disposable parent: The case for joint custody. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1978.Google Scholar
  59. Ross, J.M. The development of paternal identity: A critical review of the literature on nurturance and generativity in boys and men.Journal of American Psychoanalytic Association, 1975,23, 783–817.Google Scholar
  60. Sheffner, D.J., & Suarez, J.M. The postdivorce clinic.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1975,132, 442–444.Google Scholar
  61. Shinn, M. Father absence and children's cognitive development.Psychological Bulletin, 1978,85, 295–324.Google Scholar
  62. Steinman, S.S. The experience of children in a joint custody arrangement: A report of a study.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1981,51, 403–414.Google Scholar
  63. Suarez, J.M., Weston, N.L., & Hartstein, N.B. Mental health interventions in divorce proceedings.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1978,48, 273–283.Google Scholar
  64. Sugar, M. Children of divorce.Pediatrics, 1970,46, 588–595.Google Scholar
  65. Tooley, K. Antisocial behavior and social alienation post divorce: The “man of the house” and his mother.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1976,46, 33–42.Google Scholar
  66. Wallerstein, J.S., & Kelly, J.B. The effects of parental divorce: The adolescent experience. In E.J. Anthony, C. Koupernik (Eds.),The child in his family: children at psychiatric risk. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1974.Google Scholar
  67. Wallerstein, J.S., & Kelly, J.B. The effects of parental divorce: Experience of the preschool child.Journal of American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 1975,14, 600–616.Google Scholar
  68. Wallerstein, J.S. & Kelly, J.B. The effects of parental divorce: Experiences of the child in later latency.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1976,46, 259–269.Google Scholar
  69. Wallerstein, J.S., & Kelly, J.B. Divorce counseling: A community service for families in the midst of divorce.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1977,47, 4–22.Google Scholar
  70. Wallerstein, J.S., & Kelly, J.B. Effects of divorce on the visiting father-child relationship.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1980,137, 1534–1539.Google Scholar
  71. Weisfeld, D., & Laser, M.S. Divorced parents in family therapy in a residential treatment setting.Family Process, 1977,16, 228–236.Google Scholar
  72. Welch, G.J., & Granvold, D.K. Seminars for separated/divorced: An educational approach to postdivorce adjustment.Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 1977,3, 31–39.Google Scholar
  73. Westman, J.C. The psychiatrist and child custody contests.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1971,127, 1687–1688.Google Scholar
  74. Whitaker, C.A., & Miller, M.H. A reevaluation of “psychiatric help” when divorce impends.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,126, 611–618.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Human Sciences Press 1984

Authors and Affiliations

  • John W. Jacobs
    • 1
  1. 1.Dept. of PsychiatryMontefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of MedicineBronx

Personalised recommendations