The typical distancing from parents by adolescents is exacerbated by divorce for fathers, but not for mothers, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Parental divorce creates an immense pressure to decrease father-child closeness, supplemented by the many barriers created by a father's physical separation from the children. Fathers, who often are the less involved parent before divorce, would have to increase their investment in the relationship just to maintain pre-divorce levels of closeness, which the vast majority of fathers do not do, according to the study.
"Therefore, fathers are at a disadvantage in closeness to start, and then divorce makes it even more challenging to be close," say the researchers.
Source: Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080109094337.htm
This study just confirms what many already know by experience. In most divorces, mothers retain primary custody of their kids. The fathers are physically separated from their children, and as the study notes, most do not rise to the situation by pressing to remain as connected to their kids as they were before the divorce. Another key reason why I'm not a fan of divorce. But then again, who is?
For more information about staying connected to kids when separation, divorce or other situations put distance between family members, click on the following articles title below:
5 Things Divorced Parents Can Do to Reconnect with Their Kids
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