Fathers’ Experiences of Relationship Breakdown Including Post-Separation Abuse and Parental Alienating Behaviours

Benjamin Hine (), Eilish Mairi Roy, Ching-Yu Huang and Elizabeth Bates
Additional contact information
Benjamin Hine: School of Human and Social Sciences, Unviersity of West London, London W5 5RF, UK
Eilish Mairi Roy: National Crime Agency, London SE11 5EF, UK
Ching-Yu Huang: Cambridge Alliance of Legal Psychology, London N14 5BP, UK
Elizabeth Bates: Institute of Health, University of Cumbria, Carlisle CA1 2HH, UK

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Background: Family breakdown, separation, and divorce (FBSD) are often traumatic events, particularly for fathers who face unique challenges. These include emotional, psychological, and financial struggles, often exacerbated by abusive behaviours from ex-partners. This study explores fathers’ experiences of FBSD, focusing on both the breakdown event itself and any abuse, including coercive control and parental alienation, before and after the separation. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a survey of 141 men and follow-up interviews with 30 participants. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify key themes related to FBSD and associated abuse. Results: Fathers reported significant emotional, psychological, and financial distress, with many experiencing ongoing abuse and coercive control after separation. Abuse often continued through legal processes and manipulation of child access. Parental alienation emerged as a prominent form of post-separation abuse, with fathers describing attempts by ex-partners to undermine their relationships with their children. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for gender-inclusive services that address the specific challenges fathers face during and after FBSD, particularly in relation to post-separation abuse. Targeted interventions are necessary to support fathers’ well-being and ensure their continued involvement in their children’s lives.

Keywords: divorce; separation; abuse; fathers; parental alienation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/1/31/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/1/31/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:1:p:31-:d:1564589

Access Statistics for this article

Social Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Yvonne Chu

More articles in Social Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().