Stepfather Involvement and Stepfather-Child Relationship Quality: Race and Parental Marital Status as Moderators

Citation

Jensen, Todd M. & Pace, Garrett T. (2016). Stepfather Involvement and Stepfather-Child Relationship Quality: Race and Parental Marital Status as Moderators. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 42(4), 659-672. PMCID: PMC5159685

Abstract

Stepparent-child relationship quality is linked to stepfamily stability and children's well-being. Yet, the literature offers an incomplete understanding of factors that promote high-quality stepparent-child relationships, especially among socio-demographically diverse stepfamilies. In this study, we explore the association between stepfather involvement and stepfather-child relationship quality among a racially diverse and predominately low-income sample of stepfamilies with preadolescent children. Using a subsample of 467 mother-stepfather families from year 9 of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, results indicate that stepfather involvement is positively associated with stepfather-child relationship quality. This association is statistically indistinguishable across racial groups, although the association is stronger among children in cohabiting stepfamilies compared to children in married stepfamilies.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12165

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2016

Journal Title

Journal of Marital and Family Therapy

Author(s)

Jensen, Todd M.
Pace, Garrett T.

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC5159685

Data Set/Study

Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS)

Continent/Country

United States

State

Nonspecific

Race/Ethnicity

White
Black
Hispanic

ORCiD

Jensen T - 0000-0002-6930-899X