1. Factors associated with positive relationships between stepfathers and adolescent stepchildren.
- Author
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King V, Thorsen ML, and Amato PR
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Marriage, Mothers, Spouses, Family, Father-Child Relations, Fathers
- Abstract
This study employs nationally representative data on adolescents and their stepfathers (n=2085) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine factors associated with positive stepfather-stepchild relationships in married stepfamilies. Results reveal substantial variability in the perceived quality of adolescents' relationships with stepfathers. Structural equation models using Wave I data reveal that close relationships with mothers and close ties between mothers and stepfathers are positively related to the perceived quality of adolescents' relationships with stepfathers. Longitudinal models using Waves I and II do not yield definitive results but suggest that the direction of influence runs in both directions, with the mother-child relationship and the stepfather-stepchild relationship mutually reinforcing one another. We identify a number of other factors that are associated with positive stepfather-stepchild ties, as well as a few factors that may be less consequential than previously thought. Most of the correlates of positive stepfather-stepchild relationships are similar for boys and girls; for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics; and for stepfamilies of various durations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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