Father–Daughter Bonds: A Comparison of Adolescent Daughters' Relationships With Resident Biological Fathers and Stepfathers

• Published date: 01 December 2018
• Author: Elizabeth J. Winn,Cynthia G. Campbell
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12342
• Date: 01 December 2018

C G. C  E J. W Boise State University

Father–Daughter Bonds: A Comparison of

Adolescent Daughters’ Relationships With Resident

Biological Fathers and Stepfathers

Objective: To investigate whether the interper-

sonal dynamics of closeness are different in

stepfather–stepdaughter versus father–daughter

relationships during adolescence.

Background: Establishing a general process

model of the relational factors contributing to

greater closeness between fathers and daugh-

ters is a preliminary step toward examining

variations in such processes.

Method: The data were from the National Lon-

gitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health,

a nationally representative sample of adoles-

cents. Respondents were female adolescents

who were living with either a biological father

(n=1,881) or stepfather (n=273) and reported

on the availability and involvement of their

(step)fathers, as well as the communication and

closeness in their relationship with him.

Results: Involvement and communication were

predictors of closeness in both types of relation-

ships, however, communication was a stronger

predictor of closeness between stepfathers and

stepdaughters. Foradolescent girls living with a

stepfather, greater involvement with their step-

fathers was associated with greater closeness to

their nonresident biological fathers. The length

Department of Psychology, Boise State University, 1910

University Drive, MS 1715, Boise, ID 83725 (cynthiacamp-

bell@boisestate.edu).

Key Words: communication, father involvement,

parent–adolescent relationships, remarriage, stepfamilies,

stepfathers.

of the relationship between stepfathers and step-

daughters was not associated with levels of

closeness.

Conclusions: Overall, these ndings suggest

that stepfather–stepdaughter relationships

reect similar interpersonal dynamics as

father–daughter relationships but that estab-

lishing and maintaining these relationships

through meaningful communication may be

particularly important for stepfathers and

stepdaughters.

Implications: Practitioners working to help

stepfamilies build stronger relationships may

want to stress that investing in shared activities

and maintaining meaningful communication

can be particularly important for establishing

and maintaining positive relationships between

stepfathers and stepdaughters.

According to family systems theory,each dyadic

relationship within a family makes an impor-

tant contribution to individual development

(Minuchin, 1985). Parent–child relationships

also serve as templates for a child’s future

relationships and have an impact on his or her

psychological adjustment as adults (Roisman,

Madsen, Hennighausen, Sroufe, & Collins,

2001). Certainly this is true of adolescent girls’

relationships with their fathers. A daughter’s

positive, afrming relationship with her father

has been found to be associated with lower rates

of adolescent risky sexual behavior, greater

marital satisfaction, reduced fear of intimacy,

Family Relations 67 (December 2018): 675–686 675

DOI:10.1111/fare.12342