The term ‘NPE’ (Non-Parental Event or Misattributed Paternity) primarily refers to individuals who have been misled about their paternal lineage. These individuals typically know their biological mother and have often been raised by her or her family. However, the man they believed to be their father (who is usually listed as their legal father on their birth certificate) is not their biological father.
In extremely rare cases, an NPE situation may involve a child who is raised by their biological father, while the woman identified as their mother is not their biological parent. However, since legal maternity is typically based on birth and there is no equivalent concept of ‘fictitious motherhood’, this scenario differs significantly from the typical NPE case.
There are many scenarios in which NPE cases arise. The most common involves a child conceived during an affair, while the mother is married or in a committed relationship.
For various reasons, these mothers may be unable or unwilling to disclose the truth to their partner, leading them to construct a web of deception – both for themselves, their child, and those around them. Shame often plays a significant role, but many other factors can also contribute, including financial concerns, mental health difficulties, substance abuse and, in rare cases, incest or sexual abuse.
In some situations, the deceived partner (or future partner), along with certain family members or friends, may be complicit in maintaining the lie. In others, only the biological father is aware and also participates in the deception—sometimes for financial or personal reasons. However, in many cases, the mother keeps the truth to herself.
Another scenario occurs when a mother has multiple sexual partners within a short timeframe and is uncertain about the biological paternity of the child. She selects one of them to assume the role of the father, and he legally acknowledges paternity. However, it may later come to light that he is not, in fact, the child’s biological father.
“Developmental challenges and stress are particularly common among NPE children, manifesting to varying degrees [...] The majority of NPE children were raised in persistently harmful family, social, and material conditions.”
Christine Müller (Der Schattenvater [The Shadow Father], 2020:357)
NPE children are born into existing (often dysfunctional) family systems, including single-parent households. In some cases, they unknowingly already have contact with their biological father or half-siblings, who may be introduced as family friends.
When the truth about their paternity is revealed—whether through a negative paternity test or a confession from someone who knows the truth—many NPE individuals face identity struggles similar to those experienced by adoptees and donor-conceived individuals. The discovery can also deeply affect their relationship with their biological mother due to the scale of the deception.
In many cases, mothers choose not to share information about the biological father. In others (such as after a one-night stand) they may not have enough details to trace him. In these circumstances, legal systems often provide little support for a child’s right to know their origins.
As a result, DNA-based genealogy is often the only way to identify the biological father.