Exploring Digital Co-Parenting: A Systematic Literature Review of Fathers’ Roles in Divorced Family

The roles of both fathers and mothers are essential in parenting; however, in the context of divorce, fathers’ involvement is often diminished due to various relational and structural challenges. Co-parenting has emerged as a viable approach for maintaining parental engagement post-divorce, and recent developments highlight the growing relevance of digital technology in this context. This study aims to explore how digital media facilitates fathers’ involvement in co-parenting after separation. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the PRISMA framework, a total of 15 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 were selected from Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. The articles were analyzed narratively to identify key patterns, challenges, and innovations. Findings indicate that digital tools such as messaging apps, co-parenting platforms, and video calls enable fathers to sustain emotional connection, coordinate parenting duties, and reduce in-person conflict. However, their effectiveness varies depending on digital literacy, the quality of post-divorce relationships, and sociocultural or legal contexts. In many cases, without appropriate support or clear digital boundaries, fathers may remain passive or disengaged despite access to these tools. This review highlights the need for father-inclusive digital co-parenting frameworks and encourages future research to consider contextual and systemic factors in promoting meaningful paternal involvement.