SUVREMENI OBLICI OČINSTVA – ZNAČAJ ZA DJEČJI RAZVOJ

Literature in developmental psychology mentions fathers in child development much less than mothers. Previously the primary attachment between a mother and a child was emphasised, however today a dual attachment is stressed – a child may develop an attachment to the father and the mother. Modern, or as some researchers call them “new” fathers want to be involved in their children’s lives, which reflects in a greater well-being of fathers and children alike. Fathers can be biological and non-biological, more or less involved in their children’s upbringing. The paper provides an overview of the forms of fatherhood which are less represented in the general population: fathers who do not live with their children, single fathers, step-fathers, homosexual fathers and sperm donor fathers. It can be concluded that fatherhood is still largely unexplored, especially in the case of less common forms of fatherhood. Key words: significance of fathers for child development; fathers who do not live with their children; single fathers; step-fathers; homosexual fathers; sperm donor fathers