When Divorced Fathers Want No Contact with Their Children

Abstract

Abstract Little is known from the fathers' perspective about fathers who have no contact with their children and are content with that level of contact. Drawing from a larger sample of fathers without contact, the responses of 14 fathers who do not wish to see their children are compared with those who would like contact. It was found that the fathers who do not want contact are more apt to have been in a violent marital relationship, to have bcen less involved with the childrearing of their children, and to feel indifferent about their children. It is hypothesized that these fathers may interpret harassment or ambivalence towards them as rejection rather than as a potential outgrowth of a divorce situation. Practice implications are offered.