MADISON, Wis., Aug. 1 (UPI) — Married social fathers exhibited equal or better quality parenting behaviors than married and cohabiting biological fathers, a U.S. study found.
The study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, found that married and cohabiting biological fathers displayed relatively similar quality parenting and the parenting practices of married social fathers were of higher quality than those of cohabiting social fathers.
Study leader Lawrence M. Berger of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said married social fathers were more engaged with children, took on more shared responsibility in parenting and were more trusted by mothers to take care of children.