The Institutionalization of Families and Father Involvement

James Sanders, Washington State University

Resident stepfathers are less involved with co-resident children than resident biological fathers. The question of why this is the case needs more scholarly attention. This paper examines the relationship between the increased institutionalization of stepfamilies and stepfather involvement. It asks whether stepfather involvement increases with: (1) the transition out of cohabitation and into marriage and (2) the adoption of children on the part of stepfathers.