A pattern of poor parenting practices has been found to be especially true for divorced mothers with custody of their sons (Hetherington, 1986; Hethcrington, Cox, & Cox, 1979). These mothers were found to be more restrictive, negative, and more demanding (Copeland, 1984; Levitin, 1983; Shaw, 1991; Zeanah, 1983), although relationships with daughters did not receive such negative ratings (Hetherington, 1989; Zaslow, 1988). Duffy (1994) explains that divorce can cause an inordinate number of changes in a woman's life, thereby leading to strcss responsible for, among other symptoms, depression, low self-esteem, and reduced perccption of social support.

 

Warshak (1978) found that children living with the same sex parent (father custody sons and mother custody daughters) looked better adjusted and were rated more favorably than those living with the opposite sex parent. In a meta-analysis of the literature nearly 10 years later, Zaslow (1988) echoed these findings, concluding that same sex custody arrangements were optimal for boys and girls. Using attachment theory, these children were able to form and maintain secure attachment with the same sex parent, thereby not being forced to attach to another figure following the divorce (in other words, less stress would have been placed on the child's attachment system).

 

It has also been found that single mothers spend less time with their children in conversation, reading, listening, helping with homework, or sharing an outing (Peters & Haldeman, 1987). While these problems will cause conflict in the mother-child dyad with either sex, boys seem to be particularly affected. Hetherington (1993), in an overview of the Virginia longitudinal study, also found that young boys showed more " . . . adverse and enduring responses to divorce and life in a home headed by a [...] custodial mother" (p. 49).

From:

Olivas, Steven T. and Stoltenberg, Cal D.(1998) 'Post-Divorce Father Custody', Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 28: 1, 119 — 137