Unmarried Father Involvement, Coresidence, & Child Externalizing Behavior: Longitudinal Mediation By Father-Child Relationship Closeness

Early fathering experiences are important for understanding later child externalizing behavior within low-income, unmarried families. Structural equation modeling was used to examine longitudinal links among father involvement, coresidence, and child externalizing behavior, using data from a nationally-representative sample of unmarried families (N=2,619). Children’s perceptions of relationship closeness mediated these associations.