Relationships to stepfathers and biological fathers in adulthood: Complementary, substitutional, or neglected?

Most studies of stepchildren deal either with the relationship to the “absent” biological father or to the “coresident” stepfather, and almost all concentrate on stepchildren's late childhood and early adolescence. This paper aims at extending current knowledge in several respects. Using data from the German Family Panel (pairfam), we were able to draw a sample of adolescents and young adults who have two father relationships (N = 739). We study the variables that influence the relationships linking children to fathers and stepfathers. Emotional closeness and the strength of the relationship (a multiple indicator measure based on joint activities, material transfers, and emotional support) are considered as outcome variables that indicate whether the relationships to the two fathers are mutually complementary (i.e., the child has good relations with both fathers), substitutional (i.e., one father replaces the other), or neglected (i.e., no relationship to either father is maintained). A series of multinominal logit models provides evidence that the residence pattern, the event of leaving the parental home, the duration of the step relationship, mother's marital status, and the quality of the relationship to the mother are predictive for the pattern of father–child–stepfather relations. The longer the stepfather relationship lasts and the closer the child's relationship to its mother is, the closer is the child's relationship to the stepfather and the higher the activity and support level. The same applies if the mother is married to the stepfather. Stepchildren show lowered emotional closeness to the stepfather after leaving the parental home, but stepfathers remain important in supporting stepchildren during early adulthood.