Perspectives on Nonresidential Paternal Involvement and Grief: A Literature Review

Abstract

This article reviews literature regarding nonresidential paternal involvement postdivorce. Attempts have been made to understand nonresidential fathers’ contact with their children from a variety of perspectives including level and quality, theoretical, sociocultural influences, legal, maternal, childhood, paternal, and paternal postdivorce grief. In most cases, the authors found elements of grief throughout the literature. However, current literature has not integrated these elements into a framework for understanding fathers’ postdivorce contact through a grief lens. Thus, this article explores the issue of familial and paternal grief and makes suggestions for future areas of research.