Coping Mechanisms of Divorced Fathers vs. Mothers: A Comparative Study

The study “Coping as Divorced Single Parents: A Comparative Study of Fathers and Mothers” examines the similarities and differences in how divorced fathers and mothers adjust to single parenting. The research explores six key areas: the divorce process, feelings of being a single parent, child-rearing practices, children’s reactions, relations with the ex-spouse, and forming new social relationships. Through 63 questions answered by both fathers and mothers, the study offers insights into their experiences and coping strategies.

Negative Impact of Feminism on Marriage, Fathers, and Children:

Feminism, which initially sought to address gender inequalities, has contributed to the destabilization of marriages by promoting adversarial family dynamics. Feminist ideologies have shifted the focus of marriage away from cooperation and mutual responsibility. This has led to an increase in divorce rates and reinforced biased court systems favoring mothers in custody disputes. The result has been a devaluation of fathers’ roles, leading to diminished father-child relationships and a detrimental impact on children’s emotional and psychological well-being. Fathers face systemic bias in family courts, contributing to unequal parenting roles and further entrenching traditional gender divisions post-divorce.

The comparative study highlights minimal significant differences between fathers’ and mothers’ coping strategies. Both groups dealt with similar challenges concerning child-rearing, emotional adjustment, and post-divorce dynamics. One of the main distinctions was that nearly one-third of fathers encouraged their children to take sides, while this was rare among mothers.

Key Findings

Time with Children: Both fathers and mothers reported spending less time with their children than desired.
Household Duties: No significant differences were found in how parents divided household responsibilities post-divorce.
Children’s Contribution: Few children contributed financially to their families, regardless of parental gender.
Family Decision-Making: Both groups agreed that their children “sometimes” participated in family decisions.
Discipline Approaches: Most parents did not change their disciplinary methods after the divorce.
Yelling at Children: Both fathers and mothers reported reduced yelling at their children after the divorce.
Physical Punishment: A minority of parents used physical punishment, but most reported a decrease post-divorce.
Handling Children’s Anger: Verbal communication was the primary method for dealing with children’s anger, with little physical conflict reported.
Sex Education: Around half of the parents discussed sex education with their children, finding the discussions satisfactory.
Children’s Understanding of Divorce: Both groups felt their children had a reasonable understanding of the reasons for the divorce.
Children’s Emotional Response: A significant number of parents reported that the initial separation caused trauma for their children.
Guilt Among Children: Most parents reported that their children did not feel guilty about the divorce.
Children’s Desire for Remarriage: Many parents indicated that their children wanted them to remarry.
Respectful Behavior: Most parents felt their children remained kind and respectful post-divorce.
Children’s Health: Few parents noted changes in their children’s health post-divorce.
Academic Performance: School performance remained stable for most children after their parents’ divorce.
Social Life: Parents reported no significant changes in their children’s social lives post-divorce.
Parental Control: Many parents found it easier to manage their children after the divorce.
Expression of Anger: Verbal communication was the most common way for children to express anger, with little physical response.
Ex-Spouse Dynamics: Both groups had similar visitation schedules, but fathers were more likely to encourage children to take sides.

The study highlights that divorced fathers and mothers share similar experiences in single parenting, with few notable differences in child-rearing methods. However, the societal shift fueled by feminism has played a role in reshaping marriage, often to the detriment of fathers and children. It calls for a reassessment of legal frameworks to better support equal parental roles and safeguard children’s welfare post-divorce.

References: Aldous, J. (1969). Occupational characteristics and males’ role-performance in the family. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 31, 707-712.
Gasser, R., & Taylor, C. (1976). Role adjustment of single parent fathers with dependent children. The Family Coordinator, 25, 397-401.
Mendes, H. (1976). Single Fathers. The Family Coordinator, 25, 439-444.
Orthner, D., Brown, T., & Ferguson, D. (1976). Single parent fatherhood: An emerging lifestyle. The Family Coordinator, 25, 429-438.
U.S. Census Bureau. (1978). Population characteristics. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.

Contact Information for The Official Fathers 4 Justice South Africa:

#fathersrights #equalrights #childrensrights #familylaw #divorce #parentingrights #constitution #familycourt #custody # Fathersparentalrightsandresponsibilities #Fathershelpline #whatrightsdoesafatherhave #childcustody #divorce #law #genderbias #fathersrights #mothers #children #parentingrights #discrimination #familycourt #familylaw #legalreform #socialjustice #equalrights #jointcustody #endbias #reformnow #5050custody #unitethefamily #allfamiliesmatter #fatherlessness #childrensrights #saveoursons #ParentalRights #CustodyRights #CoParenting #LegalAdvice #FamilyLaw #ChildCustody #FatherhoodRights #FalseAccusations #MaintenanceDisputes #LegalFAQs#FamilyLaw #MediationAdvocacy #Fathers4Justice #ParentingPlan #LegalReform #DivorceResolution #CustodyRights #EfficientMediation #LegalAccountability #Curatorpersonae #familyadvocatejohannesburg #childcustody #advematheofjusticesouthafrica #Curatorbonis #curatoradlitem #Visitation #Fathersrights #Fathersresponsibilities #divorce #Guardianship #Contact #Care #Custody #Childcustody #Custodyofthechild #childmaintenance #guardianadlitem #curatoradlitem #Voiceofthechild #divorcemediationsouthafrica #fathersrights #fathersrightsinsouthafrica #howdivorceaffectschildren #howtogetaletterofguardianship #guardianship #divorcemediation #divorcemediationnearme #Maintenance #Maintenanceissues #Maintenanceproblems #familylaw #familycourtsouthafrica #fathers4justice #familylawsouthafrica #parentsrights #unmarriedfathersrightsinsouthafrica #visitationrightsforfathersinsouthafrica #whendoesafatherloseparentalrightssouthafrica #legalguardianshipdocument #familylawyersnearme #custodyofchildtofather #unmarriedfathersrights #parentingplan #parentingplanexample #parentingplanssouthafrica #Parentalalienation #Parentalalienationsyndrome #PAS #DSM5