The effect of access counseling on visitation and financial child support compliance

Abstract

A key provision of the 1996 Republican and Clinton administration welfare reform proposals is funding for demonstration programs that deal with visitation issues in single parent families. This research examines a demonstration program undertaken by a nonresidential parents' advocacy group in the early 1990s. The goals of the program included reducing the time required for the resolution of disputes related to child access, reducing litigation relating to access disputes and improving compliance with court ordered child support payments. Group t-tests were conducted on a sample of 73 cases to compare treatment and comparison groups for pre- and post-intervention reported number of visitation problems, frequency of visitation, reported attitudes of conflict and child support compliance. With the exception of a variable measuring conflict over the child's daily routine, no statistically significant differences in means were noted. A logistic regression equation utilizing five predictor variables was used to predict child support compliance as a dichotomous variable (fathers who pay all court ordered child support and fathers who do not pay all). The five predictor variables included: 1) number of months father was employed, 2) distance between father and child, 3) fathers' report of conflict because mother threatens to stop visitation, 4) reported conflict regarding how well fathers felt mothers listened to them and allowed them to be involved in arrangements for the child's life, and 5) frequency of visits between father and child. The five-variable model correctly predicted the dependent variable for 69 percent of the cases selected for analysis.