Father-custody and child development: A review and analysis of psychological research

In custody decisions there is a traditional presumption that children's best interests are served by living with their mother. The past decade has seen a growing interest in father-custody which is reflected in a large body of empirical research that has followed one of three strategies. Results indicate that a preference for maternal custody is unwarranted. Instead the impact of custody disposition is mediated by several factors including the child's sex, coparenting relationship, parenting skills, the noncustodial parent-child relationship, and the use of support systems. Suggestions for future research are provided and the implications of current results for custody decisions are discussed.