Effects of Relationship Transitions and Paternal Residency on Fathering Salience: Evidence from the NLSY79

Thomas A. Gryn, Ohio State University

One aspect of fatherhood that has not been well studied is denial of paternity by men after previously acknowledging a biological child. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), I utilize event history analysis to examine how the hazard of denying a previously confirmed biological child varies by male relationship trajectories and by paternal residency with children. My hypotheses are that men are more likely to disclaim children when they have experienced a recent relationship transition, when they are not resident with their children, and when visitation with nonresident children is not frequent.