[The involvement of non-resident fathers--a review of the current research].

Non-resident fathers have been forming one of the fastest growing social groups during the last decades. Nevertheless, their involvement and role in the development of their separated children have received a comparatively modest attention in research. Little is known about the possibilities and limits of their influence after parental separation. This review is meant to give a general overview of the current scientific literature about the involvement of non-resident fathers. Various factors influencing the behaviour of fathers after separation such as the circumstances around the visits, the line-up of families, the role of mothers and general parental conflicts are taken into consideration. Finally, the current research in this field is critically discussed and future research perspectives are formulated.