Lone Fatherhood in Spain: An Increasing Familiar Reality

Towards the end of the twentieth century, researchers began to notice that the number of families with a single male was increasing in many western countries, and furthermore, that it was doing so at a greater rate than those headed by a single female. This article explores the causes favoring this increase and undertakes a more indepth examination of the Spanish situation. The aim is to determine the degree to which the social and family context of Spain lies behind these changes. At the same time, the socio-demographic characteristics of the fathers and children that make up lone father families in Spain are discussed.