Below is curated bibliography on single-father families. It is a generalised bibliography spanning single-father families and many different associated themes.
Ambert, A. (1982). Differences in children’s behavior toward custodial mothers and custodial fathers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 44, 73–86
Arboleda, D.J.D. and Singson, D.N.E. (2022) ‘Bittersweet Metamorphosis: Lived Experiences of Emerging Adult Single Fathers on Parenting in a Rural Community’, Technium Social Sciences Journal, 30, pp. 426-441 Available at: 10.47577/tssj.v30i1.6330.
Bartz, K. W., & Witcher, W. C. (1978). When father gets custody. Children Today, 7, 2–6, 35.
Battle, J., & Coates, D. L. (2004). Father-only and mother-only, single-parent family status of Black girls & achievement in grade 12 and at two years post high school. Journal of Negro Education, 73, 392–407
Battle, J., & Scott, B. (2000). Mother-only versus father-only households: Educational outcomes for Black men. Journal of Black Men, 5, 93–116.
Bernabo, L. and Turchi, J. (2023) ‘So, You Think You Can Parent: Twitter Users’ Responses to Single Father Tropes in Television’s Single Parents’, Men and masculinities, 26(2), pp. 251-269 Available at: 10.1177/1097184X231155893.
Bokker, L. P., Farley, R. C., & Bailey, W. (2006). The relationship between custodial status and emotional well-being among recently divorced fathers. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 44, 83–98.
Breivik, K. and Olweus, D. (2006) ‘Adolescent’s Adjustment in Four Post-Divorce Family Structures: Single Mother, Stepfather, Joint Physical Custody and Single Father Families’, Journal of divorce & remarriage, 44(3-4), pp. 99-124 Available at: 10.1300/J087v44n03_07.
Breivik, K., Olweus, D. and Endresen, I. (2009) ‘Does the Quality of Parent-Child Relationships Mediate the Increased Risk for Antisocial Behavior and Substance Use Among Adolescents in Single-Mother and Single-Father Families?’, Journal of divorce & remarriage, 50(6), pp. 400-426 Available at: 10.1080/10502550902766282.
Bronte-Tinkew, J., Scott, M. E., & Lilja, E. (2010). Single custodial fathers’ involvement and parenting: Implications for outcomes in emerging adulthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 1107–1127.
Brown, B. V. (2000). The single-father family: Demographic, economic, and public transfer use characteristics. Marriage and Family Review, 29, 203–220
Brown, B.V. (2000) ‘The Single-Father Family: Demographic, Economic, and Public Transfer Use Characteristics’, Marriage & family review, 29(2-3), pp. 203-220 Available at: 10.1300/J002v29n02_12.
Carone, N. (2022) ‘Family Alliance and Intergenerational Transmission of Coparenting in Gay and Heterosexual Single-Father Families through Surrogacy: Associations with Child Attachment Security’, International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13), pp. 7713 Available at: 10.3390/ijerph19137713.
Carone, N., Baiocco, R., Lingiardi, V. and Barone, L. (2020) ‘Gay and Heterosexual Single Father Families Created by Surrogacy: Father–Child Relationships, Parenting Quality, and Children’s Psychological Adjustment’, Sexuality research & social policy, 17(4), pp. 711-728 Available at: 10.1007/s13178-019-00428-7.
Carone, N., Barone, L., Lingiardi, V., Baiocco, R. and Brodzinsky, D. (2021) ‘Factors associated with behavioral adjustment among school-age children of gay and heterosexual single fathers through surrogacy’, Developmental psychology; Dev Psychol, 57(4), pp. 535-547 Available at: 10.1037/dev0001155.
Carone, N., Lingiardi, V., Baiocco, R. and Barone, L. (2021) ‘Sensitivity and rough-and-tumble play in gay and heterosexual single-father families through surrogacy: The role of microaggressions and fathers’ rumination’, Psychology of men & masculinity, 22(3), pp. 476-487 Available at: 10.1037/men0000267.
Chang, P. N., & Deinard, A. S. (1982). Single-father caretakers: Demographic characteristics and adjustment processes. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52, 236–243
Cheng, Y.A. and Wu, F.F. (2016) ‘Going it alone and adrift: the socioeconomic profile and parental involvement of single-father and single-mother families in post-industrial Taiwan’, Journal of population research (Canberra, A.C.T.), 33(2), pp. 147-172 Available at: 10.1007/s12546-016-9158-z.
Chiu, M., Rahman, F., Vigod, S., Lau, C., Cairney, J. and Kurdyak, P. (2018) ‘Mortality in single fathers compared with single mothers and partnered parents: a population-based cohort study’, The Lancet. Public health; Lancet Public Health, 3(3), pp. e115-e123 Available at: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30003-3.
Clarke-Stewart, K. A., & Hayward, C. (1996). Advantages of father custody and contact for the psychological well-being of school-age children. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 17, 239–270.
Coles, R. L. (2001). The parenting roles and goals of single Black full-time fathers. Western Journal of Black Studies, 25, 101–116.
Coles, R. L. (2002). Black single fathers: Choosing to parent full-time. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 31, 411–439.
Coles, R. L. (2009). Best kept secret: Single Black fathers. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield.
Coles, R.L. (2002) ‘Black Single Fathers: Choosing to Parent Full-Time’, Journal of contemporary ethnography, 31(4), pp. 411-439 Available at: 10.1177/0891241602031004002.
DeFrain, J., & Eirick, R. (1981). Coping as a divorced single parent: A comparative study of fathers and mothers. Family Relations, 30, 265–273.
Degarmo, D.S. and Jones, J.A. (2019) ‘Fathering Through Change (FTC) intervention for single fathers: Preventing coercive parenting and child problem behaviors’, Development and psychopathology; Dev Psychopathol, 31(5), pp. 1801-1811 Available at: 10.1017/S0954579419001019.
DeJean, S.L., McGeorge, C.R. and Stone Carlson, T. (2012) ‘Attitudes Toward Never-Married Single Mothers and Fathers: Does Gender Matter?’, Journal of feminist family therapy, 24(2), pp. 121-138 Available at: 10.1080/08952833.2012.648121.
Devault, A., Dubeau, D. and Forget, G. (2018) Fathering: Promoting Positive Father Involvement. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Dhungel, B., Kato, T., Kachi, Y., Ochi, M., Gilmour, S. and Takehara, K. (2023) ‘Prevalence and Associated Factors of Psychological Distress Among Single Fathers in Japan’, Journal of Epidemiology; Journal of Epidemiology, 33(6), pp. 294-302 Available at: 10.2188/jea.JE20210273.
Dhungel, B., Tsuguhiko, K., Kachi, Y., Ochi, M., Gilmour, S. And Takehara, K. (2021) ‘Prevalence of and associated factors for psychological distress among single fathers in Japan’, Journal of Epidemiology; Journal of Epidemiology, , pp. JE20210273 Available at: 10.2188/jea.JE20210273.
Downey, D. B. (1994). The school performance of children from single-mother and single-father families: Economic or interpersonal deprivation? Journal of Family Issues, 15, 129–147.
Dufur, M.J., Howell, N.C., Downey, D.B., Ainsworth, J.W. and Lapray, A.J. (2010) ‘Sex Differences in Parenting Behaviors in Single-Mother and Single-Father Households’, Journal of marriage and family, 72(5), pp. 1092-1106 Available at: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00752.x.
Edin, K. and Nelson, T.J. (2013) Doing the best I can: fatherhood in the inner city. 1st edn. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Eggebeen, D. J., Snyder, A. R., & Manning, W. D. (1996). Children in single-father families in demographic perspective. Journal of Family Issues, 1, 441–465
Forste, R., Bartkowski, J. P., & Jackson, R. A. (2009). “Just be there for them”: Perceptions of fathering among single, low-income men. Fathering, 7, 49–69
Gersick, K. E. (1979). Fathers by choice: Divorced men who receive custody of their children. In G. Levinger & O. C. Moles (Eds.), Separation and divorce (pp. 307–323). New York, NY: Basic Books.
Gladding, S. T., & Huber, C. H. (1984). The position of the single-parent father. Journal of Employment Counseling, 21, 13–18.
Grall, T. S. (2011, December). Custodial mothers and fathers and their child support: 2009. Current Population Reports. Washington, DC: US Census Bureau.
Green, C. (2010). Single custodial fathers and mothers meeting the challenge: A comparative note. In R. L. Coles & C. Green (Eds.), The myth of the missing Black father (pp. 100–124). New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
Greif, G. L., & DeMaris, A. (1990). Single fathers with custody. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 71, 259–266
Guttman, J., & Lazar, A. (1998). Mother’s or father’s custody: Does it matter for social adjustment? Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology, 18, 225–234
Guzzo, K.B. and Hayford, S.R. (2010) ‘Single Mothers, Single Fathers: Gender Differences in Fertility After a Nonmarital Birth’, Journal of Family Issues; J Fam Issues, 31(7), pp. 906-933 Available at: 10.1177/0192513X09351508.
Hamer, J., & Marchioro, K. (2002). Becoming custodial dads: Exploring parenting among low-income and working class African American fathers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 116–129.
Hanson, S. M. H. (1981). Single custodial fathers and the parent–child relationship. Nursing Research, 30, 202–204.
Harrison, R., Moisio, R., Gentry, J. and Commuri, S. (2021) ‘Processes of consumer socialization: study of single-father households’, European journal of marketing, 55(10), pp. 2649-2673 Available at: 10.1108/EJM-11-2018-0753.
Hawkins, D. N., Amato, P. R., & King, V. (2006). Parent-adolescent involvement: The relative influence of parent gender and residence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68, 125–136.
Haworth, S. (2019) ‘A Systematic Review of Research on Social Work Practice with Single Fathers’, Practice (Birmingham, England), 31(5), pp. 329-347 Available at: 10.1080/09503153.2019.1575955.
Heath, D. T., & Orthner, D. K. (1999). Stress and adaptation among male and female single parents. Journal of Family Issues, 20, 557–587.
Heath, D.T. (1999) ‘Single Mothers, Single Fathers: The Intersection of Gender, Work, and Family’, Journal of Family Issues, 20(4), pp. 429-431 Available at: 10.1177/019251399020004001.
Helbig, M. (2012) ‘Do boys need male role models to be successful in school? – Likelihood of the transition to academic track secondary school of girls and boys from nuclear families, single-mother or single-father families’, Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 15(3), pp. 597-614 Available at: 10.1007/s11618-012-0283-y.
Hill, L. C., & Hilton, J. M. (1999). Changes in roles following divorce: Comparison of factors contributing to depression in custodial single mothers and custodial single fathers. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 31, 91–114.
Hilton, J.M. and Devall, E.L. (1998) ‘Comparison of Parenting and Children’s Behavior in Single-Mother, Single-Father, and Intact Families’, Journal of divorce & remarriage, 29(3-4), pp. 23-54 Available at: 10.1300/J087v29n03_02.
Hook, J.L. and Chalasani, S. (2008) ‘Gendered Expectations? Reconsidering Single Fathers’ Child-Care Time’, Journal of marriage and family, 70(4), pp. 978-990 Available at: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00540.x.
Iztayeva, A. (2021) ‘Custodial single fathers before and during the covid-19 crisis: Work, care, and well-being’, Social sciences (Basel), 10(3), pp. 1-23 Available at: 10.3390/socsci10030094.
Iztayeva, A. (2022) ‘Single fathers and work-family conflict in white- and blue-collar jobs’, Community, work & family, ahead-of-print(-), pp. 1-16 Available at: 10.1080/13668803.2022.2144136.
Janzen, B.L., Green, K. and Muhajarine, N. (2006) ‘The Health of Single Fathers: Demographic, Economic and Social Correlates’, Canadian journal of public health; Can J Public Health, 97(6), pp. 440-444 Available at: 10.1007/BF03405224.
Kim, S.I. and Kim, E.J. (2013) ‘P.1.k.013 Mental health of single fathers and single mothers in single parent families living in an urban community in South Korea’, European neuropsychopharmacology, 23, pp. S306-S307 Available at: 10.1016/S0924-977X(13)70480-2.
Kong, K.A. and Kim, S.I. (2015) ‘Mental health of single fathers living in an urban community in South Korea’, Comprehensive psychiatry; Compr Psychiatry, 56, pp. 188-197 Available at: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.09.012.
Kramer, K.Z., Myhra, L.L., Zuiker, V.S. and Bauer, J.W. (2016) ‘Comparison of Poverty and Income Disparity of Single Mothers and Fathers Across Three Decades: 1990–2010’, Gender issues, 33(1), pp. 22-41 Available at: 10.1007/s12147-015-9144-3.
Kroese, J., Bernasco, W., Liefbroer, A.C. and Rouwendal, J. (2021) ‘Single-Parent Families and Adolescent Crime: Unpacking the Role of Parental Separation, Parental Decease, and Being Born to a Single-Parent Family’, Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology, 7(4), pp. 596-622.
Lamb, M.E. (2010) The role of the father in child development. 5th edn. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Lee, S.M. and Kushner, J. (2008) ‘Single-parent families: The role of parent’s and child’s gender on academic achievement’, Gender and Education, 20(6), pp. 607-621.
Lee, S.M., Kushner, J. and Cho, S.H. (2007) ‘Effects of Parent’s gender, child’s gender, and parental involvement on the academic achievement of adolescents in single parent families’, Sex Roles, 56(3-4), pp. 149-157.
Leininger, L.J. and Ziol-Guest, K. (2008) ‘Re-examining the Effects of Family Structure on Children’s Access to Care: The Single-Father Family’, Health services research; Health Serv Res, 43(1), pp. 117-133 Available at: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2007.00758.x.
Lin, T.-F., & Chen, J. (2006). Custodial fathers—Do they work more or fewer hours? Journal of Family Economic Issues, 27, 513–522.
Livingston, G. (2013). The rise of single fathers. Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2013/07/02/the-rise-of-single-fathers/
Luo, Y., Zhang, A. and An, Q. (2023) ‘A Parent Education Program for Single Fathers’ Parent-Child Relationship in Rural China: A Pretest–Post-test-Follow-Up Study’, Research on social work practice, 33(4), pp. 413-422 Available at: 10.1177/10497315221112961.
Marotte, M.R., Reynolds, P. and Savarese, R.J. (2011) Papa, PhD essays on fatherhood by men in the academy. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press.
Maya, T. and Adital, B. (2021) ‘Single gay fathers via surrogacy: the dialectics between vulnerability and resilience’, Journal of family studies, 27(2), pp. 247-260 Available at: 10.1080/13229400.2018.1551148.
Mendes, H. A. (1976). Single fatherhood. Social Work, 21, 308–312.
Mendes, H. A. (1976). Single fathers. Family Coordinator, 25, 439–444.
Meyer, D. R., & Garasky, S. (1993). Custodial fathers: Myths, realities, and child support policy. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 73–89
Molander, S. (2021) ‘A gendered agency of good enough: Swedish single fathers navigating conflicting state and marketplace ideologies’, Consumption, markets and culture, 24(2), pp. 194-216 Available at: 10.1080/10253866.2019.1696316.
Mosier, R.L. (2021) The Effect of Parenting Styles Adolescents Experience in Single-Mother Versus Single-Father Families on Juvenile Delinquency. . ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. Available at: (Accessed: .
Nonoyama-Tarumi, Y. (2017) ‘Educational Achievement of Children From Single-Mother and Single-Father Families: The Case of Japan’, Journal of marriage and family, 79(4), pp. 915-931 Available at: 10.1111/jomf.12409.
Noonan, M. and Turchi, J. (2019) ‘Childhood Obesity Differences in Single-Father and Single-Mother Families’, Sociological focus (Kent, Ohio), 52(3), pp. 216-230 Available at: 10.1080/00380237.2019.1624234.
Orthner, D. K., & Lewis, K. (1979). Evidence of single-father competence in child-rearing. Family Law Quarterly, 13, 27–47
Orthner, D. K., Brown, T., & Ferguson, D. (1976). Single parent fatherhood: An emerging family life style. Family Coordinator, 25, 429–437.
Pereira, H. (2022) ‘Children of Single Fathers Created by Surrogacy: Psychosocial Adjustment Considerations and Implications for Research and Practice’, Children (Basel), 9(11), pp. 1644 Available at: 10.3390/children9111644.
Pereira, H. and Beatriz, C. (2023) ‘Promoting Social Visibility for Single-Father Families Created by Surrogacy’, Families in Society, 104(2), pp. 234-239 Available at: 10.1177/10443894221118767.
Risman, B. J. (1986). Can men “mother”? Life as a single father. Family Relations, 35, 95–102.
Risman, B. J. (1987). Intimate relationships from a microstructural perspective: Men who mother. Gender & Society, 1, 6–14.
Rosenthal, K. M., & Keshet, H. F. (1981). Fathers without partners: A study of fathers and family after marital separation. Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Littlefield.
Roy, K. (1999). Low-income single fathers in an African American community and the requirements of welfare reform. Journal of Family Issues, 20, 432–457
Shipe, S.L., Ayer, L. and Guastaferro, K. (2022) ‘American Single Father Homes: A Growing Public Health Priority’, American journal of public health (1971); Am J Public Health, 112(1), pp. 21-23 Available at: 10.2105/AJPH.2021.306591.
Shorey, S. and Pereira, T.L. (2023) ‘Parenting experiences of single fathers: A meta-synthesis’, Family process, 62(3), pp. 1093-1113 Available at: 10.1111/famp.12830.
Simpson, R.F. and Floud, S. (2018) ‘Premature mortality in single fathers’, The Lancet. Public health; Lancet Public Health, 3(3), pp. e101-e102 Available at: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30028-8.
Steffens, M.C., Preuß, S. and Scheifele, C. (2019) ‘Work-Related Impression Formation: Reviewing Parenthood Penalties and Investigating a “Fatherhood Penalty” for Single Fathers’, Basic and applied social psychology, 41(5), pp. 287-304 Available at: 10.1080/01973533.2019.1652177.
The Lancet Public Health, (2018) ‘Single fathers: neglected, growing, and important’, The Lancet. Public health; Lancet Public Health, 3(3), pp. e100 Available at: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30032-X.
Tsfati, M. and Segal‐Engelchin, D. (2022) ‘Lone parenthood in the COVID‐19 context: Israeli single gay fathers’ perspective’, Child & family social work; Child Fam Soc Work, 27(4), pp. 737-747 Available at: 10.1111/cfs.12921.
Turchi, J. and Bernabo, L. (2020) ‘”Mr. Mom” no more: single-father representations on television in primetime drama and comedies’, Critical studies in media communication, 37(5), pp. 437-450 Available at: 10.1080/15295036.2020.1812683.
Westin, M. and Westerling, R. (2006) ‘Health and healthcare utilization among single mothers and single fathers in Sweden’, Scandinavian Journal of Public Health; Scand J Public Health, 34(2), pp. 182-189 Available at: 10.1080/14034940500325939.
Whitley, D.M. and Fuller-Thomson, E. (2017) ‘The Health of the Nation’s Custodial Grandfathers and Older Single Fathers: Findings From the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System’, American journal of men’s health; Am J Mens Health, 11(6), pp. 1614-1626 Available at: 10.1177/1557988315621604.
Wong, S.K. (2017) ‘The effects of single-mother and single-father families on youth crime: Examining five gender-related hypotheses’, International journal of law, crime and justice, 50, pp. 46-60 Available at: 10.1016/j.ijlcj.2017.04.001.
Zadeh, S., Jadva, V. and Golombok, S. (2022) ‘Documenting Families: Paper-Work in Family Display among Planned Single Father Families’, Sociology (Oxford), 56(5), pp. 859-875 Available at: 10.1177/00380385211073238.
Zhan, M. and Pandey, S. (2004) ‘Postsecondary Education and Economic Well-Being of Single Mothers and Single Fathers’, Journal of marriage and family, 66(3), pp. 661-673 Available at: 10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00045.x.
Ziol-Guest, K. (2009) ‘A Single Father’s Shopping Bag’, Journal of Family Issues, 30(5), pp. 605-622 Available at: 10.1177/0192513X08331022.
