title: Factors associated with positive relationships between stepfathers and adolescent stepchildren.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, 211 Oswald Tower, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: vek1@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Valarie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, 211 Oswald Tower, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: mxl991@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Maggie L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Thorsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, 211 Oswald Tower, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: pxa6@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Amato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D009035:Mothers; D018454:Spouses
keywords: Family relations; Father–child relations; Parent–adolescent relations; Stepfamilies; Structural equation modeling