There are new study results from the Center for the Demography of Health and Aging University of Wisconsin-Madison about divorced fathers and their relationships with adult children.

Using data from 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008 the study extends the existing literature on post-divorced fathers and their relationships with adult children. Specifically, the study contrasts late to midlife divorced fathers and their relationships with their adult children from a prior marriage or relationship after they have entered into a new relationship.

What did the study find?

Preliminary results from the analyses suggest that:

• Divorced mid- to late-life fathers who repartner have notably less contact with and are less likely to transfer money to their adult children from a prior union than divorced fathers who remain unpartnered.

• Cohabitation has similarly negative implications for divorced fathers' relations with their adult children as does remarriage.

• Although new (step)children reduce contact with and financial transfers to children from a prior union, changes in remarried and cohabiting divorced fathers' family structure do not account for the effect of repartnering.

• There is some suggestive evidence that new step-children have a smaller negative effect on ever divorced fathers' ties with their adult children from an earlier partner than new biological children.

• The hypothesis of 'family swapping' is not supported as findings indicate that new (step)children reduce fathers' relations with adult child from prior union to a lesser or a similar extent as do additional children from a prior union.

What does the study tell us about divorced fathers who remarry or cohabitate?

1. Fathers make their new mate a priority over their relationship with their children?

2. Second wives or partners drive a wedge between fathers and children?

3. First wives drive a wedge between the father, second wife or partner?

4. A mother's parental instinct is more keen than a fathers?

5. Fathers have a problem separating their relationship with a new wife from their relationship with their children?

What are your thought?