Research

While studies of infidelity as it affects couples abound, research on parent infidelity and studies of its effect of children is limited. Unfortunately, like most research, data is largely based on White heterosexual university students. Disclaimers aside, these articles have proven invaluable to my thinking and writing on the topic.

Articles and books are listed chronologically from oldest to newest:

Affairs and Children

Duncombe, J., Harrison, K., Allan, G., & Marsden, D. (Eds.). (2004). The State of Affairs: Explorations in Infidelity and Commitment (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410610652

Parental conflict and infidelity as predictors of adult children’s attachment style and infidelity

Rhi Anna L. Platt, David P. Nalbone, Gisele M. Casanova & Joseph L. Wetchler (2008) Parental Conflict and Infidelity as Predictors of Adult Children’s Attachment Style and Infidelity, The American Journal of Family Therapy, 36:2, 149-161, DOI: 10.1080/01926180701236258

Adult Children’s Experiences with their Parent’s Infidelity: Communicative Protection and Access Rules in the Absence of Divorce

Allison R. Thorson (2009) Adult Children’s Experiences with their Parent’s Infidelity: Communicative Protection and Access Rules in the Absence of Divorce, Communication Studies, 60:1, 32-48, DOI: 10.1080/10510970802623591

Parents Who Cheat

Nogales, Ana. Parents Who Cheat. Deerfield Beach, FL. Health Communications, Inc. 2009

Does college-based relationship education decrease extradyadic involvement in relationships?

Braithwaite, Scott & Lambert, Nathaniel & Fincham, Frank & Pasley, Kay. (2010). Does College-Based Relationship Education Decrease Extradyadic Involvement in Relationships?. Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43). 24. 740-5. 10.1037/a0021759.

Adult Children’s Discovery of Their Parents’ Infidelity

Thorson, Allison. (2013). Adult Children’s Discovery of Their Parents’ Infidelity. Qualitative Communication Research. 2. 61-80. 10.1525/qcr.2013.2.1.61.

Parental Infidelity: Adult Children’s Attributions for Parents’ Extramarital Relationships

by Allison R. Thorson

in Communication for Families in Crisis: Theories, Research, Strategies

editors: Fran C. Dickson (Editor), Lynne M. Webb (Editor)

2012 Peter Lang Publishing, NY, NY

pp 55-75

Feeling Caught: Adult Children’s Experiences with Parental Infidelity

Allison R. Thorson (2014) Feeling Caught: Adult Children’s Experiences with Parental Infidelity, Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 15:1, 75-83, DOI: 10.1080/17459435.2014.955595

A Prototype Analysis of Infidelity

WEISER, D.A., LALASZ, C.B., WEIGEL, D.J. and EVANS, W.P. (2014), A prototype analysis of infidelity. Pers Relationship, 21: 655-675. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12056

Investigating Adult Children’s Experience with privacy turbulence following the discovery of parental infidelity

Thorson, Allison. (2015). Investigating Adult Children’s Experiences with Privacy Turbulence Following the Discovery of Parental Infidelity. Journal of Family Communication. 15. 41-57. 10.1080/15267431.2014.980824.

Effects of Parental Infidelity on Adult Children’s Relational Ethics With Their Partners: A Contextual Perspective

Schmidt, Alexandra & Green, Mary & Sibley, D. & Prouty, Anne. (2015). Effects of Parental Infidelity on Adult Children’s Relational Ethics With Their Partners: A Contextual Perspective. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy. 15. 10.1080/15332691.2014.998848.

Seeking the Hiding: Working Through Parental Infidelity

Miller, L.D. Seeking the Hiding: Working Through Parental Infidelity. Clin Soc Work J 44, 252–264 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-015-0561-2

Communication and Parental Infidelity: A Qualitative Analysis of How Adult Children Cope in a Topic-Avoidant Environment

Allison R. Thorson (2017) Communication and Parental Infidelity: A Qualitative Analysis of How Adult Children Cope in a Topic-Avoidant Environment, Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 58:3, 175-193, DOI: 10.1080/10502556.2017.1300019

Exploring intergenerational patterns of infidelity

Weiser, D. A., & Weigel, D. J. (2017). Exploring intergenerational patterns of infidelity. Personal Relationships, 24(4), 933-952. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12222

Family Background and Propensity to Engage in Infidelity

Weiser, D. A., Weigel, D. J., Lalasz, C. B., & Evans, W. P. (2017). Family Background and Propensity to Engage in Infidelity. Journal of Family Issues, 38(15), 2083–2101. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X15581660

Parental Infidelity and Children’s Reactions: A Case Study in a Filipino Family

Batara, J.B., Guanzon, A.B., Macaloyos, J.L., Diaz, C.L., Albao, J.C., & Villano, M.D. (2018). Parental Infidelity and Children’s Reactions: A Case Study in a Filipino Family. PRism, 23.


A contextual perspective on associations between reported parental infidelity and relational ethics of the adult children

Kawar, C., Coppola, J., & Gangamma, R. (2019). A Contextual Perspective on Associations Between Reported Parental Infidelity and Relational Ethics of the Adult Children. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 45(2), 354-363. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12331

Investigating the relationships between unfaithful parent’s apologies, adult children’s third-party forgiveness, and communication of forgiveness following parental infidelity

Thorson, A. R. (2019). Investigating the relationships between unfaithful parent’s apologies, adult children’s third-party forgiveness, and communication of forgiveness following parental infidelity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(9), 2759–2780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518799978

Triangulation and Parental Infidelity

Allison R. Thorson (2020): Triangulation and Parental Infidelity:Faithful Parents’ Attempts to Make Their Adult Children Feel Caught, Rumination, and Satisfaction in the Unfaithful Parent–Child Relationship, Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, DOI: 10.1080/10502556.2020.1833293

Rumination’s mediating effect on feeling caught and well-being after parental infidelity

Thorson, Allison. (2020). Rumination’s mediating effect on feeling caught and well-being after parental infidelity. Family Relations. 70. 10.1111/fare.12509.

Exploring the lived experience of parental infidelity

Lutfiye Salih & Sara Chaudry (2021): Exploring the lived experience of parental

infidelity, Journal of Family Studies, DOI: 10.1080/13229400.2021.1956997

The Impact of Infidelity on Filipino Family Dynamics and Young Adult Filipino’s Self Concept

ANDREW SIGUAN, MAXIN FENONI THERESE ONG & SIDNEY IRA MARIE CAÑETE (2021): THE IMPACT OF INFIDELITY ON FILIPINO FAMILY DYNAMICS AND YOUNG ADULT FILIPINO'S SELF- CONCEPT. MALIM: Jurnal Pengajian Umum Asia Tenggara 22 (2021): 14 – 37 https://doi.org/10.17576/malim-2021-2201-02

Featured
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Ruminating on Parent Infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Ruminating on Parent Infidelity

This is a research round up of two related studies by the same author. Both look at the concepts of feeling caught between parents (also known as triangulation), and at rumination as it relates to parent infidelity. 

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Exploring the Lived Experience of Parental Infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Exploring the Lived Experience of Parental Infidelity

This study points hopefully to a pathway to healing for kids of cheating parents. Healing means being able to understand your parents’ affair intellectually, and being able to be honest and open about the affair.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental Infidelity and Children’s Reactions: A Case Study in a Filipino Family 
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental Infidelity and Children’s Reactions: A Case Study in a Filipino Family 

This research asks actual kids about their experience of parent infidelity while they are going through it, as opposed to all other research which asks adults to reflect on exposure to parent infidelity in their past.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Communication and Parental Infidelity: A Qualitative Analysis of How Adult Children Cope in a Topic-Avoidant Environment
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Communication and Parental Infidelity: A Qualitative Analysis of How Adult Children Cope in a Topic-Avoidant Environment

This study tackles the question of topic avoidance in families coping with parent infidelity. While topic avoidance is common in families, even the perception of it can lead to unhappiness. If families are unable to put traumatic events into words over time this leads to suppression, rumination, and health issues.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Exploring intergenerational patterns of infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Exploring intergenerational patterns of infidelity

This research is some of the first to explore the intergenerational effects of infidelity, and clearly indicates that children who grow up with cheating parents are twice as likely to cheat in their own relationships, even if they believe that infidelity is wrong.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Family Background and Propensity to Engage in Infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Family Background and Propensity to Engage in Infidelity

This research concludes that parent infidelity and how happy parents are with their relationship are the greatest predictors of whether a child of infidelity will cheat in their own romantic relationship as an adult.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Effects of Parental Infidelity on Adult Children’s Relational Ethics With Their Partners: A Contextual Perspective
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Effects of Parental Infidelity on Adult Children’s Relational Ethics With Their Partners: A Contextual Perspective

This article describes a few factors that make it more likely that women who grow up with cheating fathers will cheat on their own romantic partners. Specifically, this article points to how parent infidelity may leave long-lasting misconceptions of trust and loyalty in romantic relationships.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Adult Children’s Discovery of Their Parents’ Infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Adult Children’s Discovery of Their Parents’ Infidelity

The five ways that children typically learn about parent infidelity.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Feeling Caught: Adult Children's Experiences with Parental Infidelity 
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Feeling Caught: Adult Children's Experiences with Parental Infidelity 

Feeling caught between your parents means that you feel like you need to side with one against the other. This article offers 5 ways that parents communicate with their kids about infidelity. Some make the kids feel caught, some do not.

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in plain english: A Prototype Analysis of Infidelity
in plain english: A Prototype Analysis of Infidelity

Infidelity remains a complex topic, but this research sheds light on how young adults tends to include the outcomes of infidelity, such as pain, crying, sad, hurt, guilt, and heartbreak, as part of their definition of infidelity.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Investigating Adult Children’s Experiences with Privacy Turbulence Following the Discovery of Parental Infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Investigating Adult Children’s Experiences with Privacy Turbulence Following the Discovery of Parental Infidelity

This study tackles the question of who owns the story of parent infidelity. Once a child or family member discovers infidelity, do they share it? Does sharing it help?

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental Infidelity: Adult Children’s Attributions for Parents’ Extramarital Relationships
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental Infidelity: Adult Children’s Attributions for Parents’ Extramarital Relationships

This study gives language to how children understand why a parent affair happened. Children often see the reasons behind cheating as much more nuanced than they are given credit for, citing not only individual behavior but also historical or community circumstances. Parents do not need to be so afraid of admitting their infidelity to their children.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Adult Children’s Experiences with their Parent’s Infidelity: Communicative Protection and Access Rules in the Absence of Divorce
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Adult Children’s Experiences with their Parent’s Infidelity: Communicative Protection and Access Rules in the Absence of Divorce

How is information about parent infidelity shared in a family? The takeaway here is that infidelity adds a layer of secret information in a family that needs to be managed, which takes mental and emotional effort and can cause stress.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental conflict and infidelity as predictors of adult children's attachment style and infidelity
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: Parental conflict and infidelity as predictors of adult children's attachment style and infidelity

Hint: it’s all about the conflict.

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IN PLAIN ENGLISH: A summary of Duncombe and Marsden’s Affairs and Children
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: A summary of Duncombe and Marsden’s Affairs and Children

A brief summary (in plain English) of Duncombe and Marsden’s 2004 article Affairs and Children, often cited as the foundation of Western scholarly research on the effect of parental infidelity on children.

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