Studies about the effects of divorce on children have found that children who are separated from their father are more likely than children in two-parent families to have problems in psychosocial development, behavior, school performance, employment, and future interpersonal relationships. Conversely, the research indicates that positive relationships with nonresidential fathers who are actively involved in the lives of their children promote positive adjustment. This chapter suggests that postdivorce child custody agreements should seek to enhance the involvement of the nonresidential parent…
Economic theory can be used to explain family behavior and trends in marriage, divorce, births, and child development. This chapter provides an economic perspective to explore questions about why some nonresident fathers withhold financial and emotional support from their children. The economic model includes variables such as the level of consumption by each parent and child, shared and private goods, the amount spent on children, parental cooperation, and differences in spending of fathers and mothers. The text summarizes evidence about trends in child support and visitation and the ability…