Child custody may be influenced by recent study

Various states across America have recently made significant strides toward including fathers in child custody more equitably. Historically, however, women have traditionally maintained primary or even sole custody of children after a divorce. This may have been due to a general belief that women are more equipped for child-rearing or because more mothers used to stay home and care for the children while the father worked. The findings of a recent study may be welcome news to those seeking to pursue fathers’ rights when it comes to child custody in New Jersey.

Researchers monitored brain scans of various parents who were watching recorded interactions between them and their children. In both men and women, this viewing stimulated one of the brain’s emotional networks related to bonding and distress response. This part of the brain actually doles out rewards in the form of chemicals when a child’s needs are being met.

Additionally, the network that monitor’s what the child’s overall well being — including emotional and future needs — were also positively affected. The study concluded that it is possible for fathers to actually experience changes in their brain as they engage in an increasing amount of parental duties. This study indicates that men can be just as adequate at parenting as their female counterparts.

Barring other outside influences, this study positively concludes that men are as well-equipped to parent their children as women are. This significant discovery of the changes in brain activity has the potential positively influence issues surrounding child custody, particularly when a father’s right to parent his child may be at risk. If, during a divorce, New Jersey parents are unable to determine a child custody arrangement between themselves, another option is to have an impartial mediator review the situation and help the parties come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement. As a final alternative, those who are still unable to agree upon a custody plan may proceed to court, where a judge will have the final say regarding any unresolved issues.

Source: New Republic, “Study: Fathers’ Brains Change When They’re Primary Caregivers“, Michael Brooks, July 25, 2014