Father Reflections on Doing Family in Stepfamilies

• Date: 01 October 2019
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12377
• Author: Jan De Mol,Ann Buysse,Tom Loeys,Charlotte Pylyser
• Published date: 01 October 2019

C P Ghent University

J D M University of Louvain

T L  A B Ghent University

Father Reections on Doing Family in Stepfamilies

Objective: To explore fathers’ experiences as

biological parents in father–stepmother fami-

lies.

Background: Biological parents play an impor-

tant role in the formation and development of

stepfamily relationships, but little is known

about fathers in stepfamilies.

Method: In-person interviews were conducted

with 10 Belgian fathers. Interviews were ana-

lyzed using interpretative phenomenological

analysis.

Results: Three themes emerged from the data:

(a) reecting on children’s experiences and tran-

sitions, (b) pursuing a shared family under-

standing, and (c) innovating new ways of doing

fatherhood and family. The rst theme centers

on fathers’ concerns about the impact fam-

ily transitions may have on their children. The

second theme centers on fathers’ pursuit of a

shared understanding that claries family roles

and expectations within the stepfamily. The last

theme addresses the creativity of these fathersas

they co-construct new stepfamily and fatherhood

identities in the absence of culturally ascribed

norms.

Conclusion: Given their connecting role as par-

ent and partner, biological fathers in stepfami-

lies are key to the formation and development of

a new family narrative.

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,

Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium (char-

lotte.pylyser@ugent.be).

Key Words: doing family,fathers and fatherhood, parenting,

qualitative research, stepfamilies.

Findings contribute to family practitioners’

understanding of how fathers experience step-

family life.

Recent literature reviews have demonstrated

that stepfamily research is dominated by studies

reporting on mother–stepfather households

(Jensen & Howard, 2015; Pylyser, Buysse, &

Loeys, 2018; Sweeney, 2010). Consequently,

fathers as biological parents in stepfamilies have

largely been overlooked in the stepfamily litera-

ture. However, recent demographic trends show

a shift from mothers with sole physical cus-

tody of children toward joint physical custody,

resulting in more children of divorce who live

a substantial amount of time with their fathers

as well as their mothers (Bauserman, 2002;

Cancian, Meyer, Brown, & Cook, 2014; Soder-

mans, Vanassche, & Matthijs, 2013). Because

fathers with joint (or sole) physical custody

of children take on the role of the biological

parent in the process of stepfamily formation

and maintenance, the present qualitative study

focuses on fathers’ lived experiences in the

role of biological parent within stepfamilies. In

what follows, we outline the broader theoret-

ical framework of doing family and elaborate

with literature on the biological parent in step-

families to demonstrate the pertinence of the

present study.

T F: D F

In contemporary Western society, family

structures reect an increasing diversity and

500 Family Relations 68 (October 2019): 500–511

DOI:10.1111/fare.12377