Beyond the payment of child support, relatively little is known about the nature and extent of contributions of divorced fathers to their children. Using nationally representative data from a sample of ever-divorced women taken from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, the nature and extent of various forms of assistance (in eight areas) provided by divorced fathers are examined. The majority of fathers seldom or never make contributions to their children. Fathers who do contribute to their children have more economic resources and enjoy better relationships with the custodial mother. In addition, there is little support for the notion that fathers substitute other forms of assistance for payment of child support. Rather, other forms of support are provided in addition to making child-support payments.
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