Good Things Come in Threes: Single-Parent Multigenerational Family Structure and Adolescent Adjustment

DeLeire, Thomas; Kalil, Ariel

doi:10.2307/3088345

Cited by 94 publications

(144 citation statements)

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“…Women living with a stepparent and single parents (with grandparent(s) or alone) had rates of sexual intercourse 34, 58, and 25 percent higher than women living in two-parent households. This is counter to existing research showing that children and adolescents in multigenerational households fare as well as those in two married parent households (Deleire and Kalil 2002; Kalil et al 2002). Although the measure of currently living with a parent and his/her cohabiting partner was not statistically significant at the .05 level, it was at the .10 level and had a similar relationship when compared to two biological parent family as well as step or single parents.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 86%

“…Recent research on the prevalence and significance of cohabiting unions and multigenerational households implies the importance of considering these family types separately as well (Brown 2004; Cherlin and Fomby 2002; DeLeire and Kalil 2002; Kalil et al 2002; Loomis and Landale 1994; Manning and Lamb 2003). Cohabiting partners, like stepparents, may add time and resources, but they are also likely to have less social control authority than biological parents.…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parental family experiences, the timing of first sex, and contraception

Brauner-Otto

Axinn

2010

Social Science Research

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By investigating the intergenerational consequences of multiple aspects of family experiences across the life course this paper advances what we know about the forces shaping children's initiation of sexual and contraceptive behaviors. Our aim is to advance the scientific understanding of early sexual experiences by explicitly considering contraceptive use and by differentiating between the consequences of parental family experiences during childhood and those during adolescence and young adulthood. Thanks to unique, highly detailed data measuring parental family experiences throughout the life course and sexual dynamics early in life it is possible to provide detailed empirical estimates of the relationship between parental family experiences and contraceptive use at first sex—a relationship about which we know relatively little. Findings reveal (1) significant simultaneous consequences of many different dimensions of parental family experiences for the timing of first sex and the likelihood of using contraception at first sex, but the specific dimensions of family important for the specific behavior vary across racial groups; and (2) that parental family experiences influence the timing of sex and contraceptive use differently.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 86%

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental family experiences, the timing of first sex, and contraception

Brauner-Otto

Axinn

2010

Social Science Research

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Section: Family Structure Conflict and Child Well-beingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Children from single-parent and stepparent families have higher poverty rates and lower levels of educational and occupational attainment than children who grow up with both their biological or adoptive parents (Astone & McLanahan, 1991; Biblarz & Raftery, 1993, 1999; DeLeire & Kalil, 2002; Kiernan, 1992; McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994; Wojtkiewicz, 1993). They report greater substance use and risk-taking behavior, such as smoking, drinking, and drug use (Carlson, 2006; DeLeire & Kalil, 2002; Hoffmann & Johnson, 1998). Further, these children are more likely to have sex at an early age (Davis & Friel, 2001; Thornton & Camburn, 1989), to be young and unmarried when they form their families (Cherlin, Kiernan, & Chase-Lansdale, 1995; Kiernan 1992; Kiernan & Hobcraft, 1997; McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994; Thornton 1991; Wu 1996), and to experience the dissolution of their own romantic unions (Amato & DeBoer, 2001; Kiernan & Cherlin, 1999; McLanahan & Bumpass, 1988; Wolfinger 1999).…”

Section: Family Structure Conflict and Child Well-beingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are both parents always better than one? Parental conflict and young adult well-being

Musick¹,

Meier²

2010

Social Science Research

104

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Using data from three waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (N=1,963), we examine associations between adolescent family experiences and young adult well-being across a range of indicators, including schooling, substance use, and family-related transitions. We compare children living with both biological parents, but whose parents differ in how often they argue, to children in stepfather and single-mother families, and we assess the extent to which differences can be understood in terms of family income and parenting practices. Findings suggest that parental conflict is associated with children's poorer academic achievement, increased substance use, and early family formation and dissolution. Living in single mother and stepfather families tend to be more strongly associated with our indicators of well-being, although differences between these family types and living with high conflict continuously married parents are often statistically indistinguishable. Income and parenting largely do not account for associations between adolescent family type and later life outcomes. We conclude that while children do better, on average, living with two biological married parents, the advantages of two-parent families are not shared equally by all.Keywords family structure; parental conflict; transition to adulthood; parenting The association between family structure and child well-being is frequently cited: children who grow up with two married parents tend to fare better than others (for reviews see Amato, 2005;McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994;Sigle-Rushton & McLanahan, 2004). Most studies of family structure compare children in single-parent and stepparent families to those living with their married, biological parents, treating these marriages as a homogenous group. A somewhat distinct body of work shows the importance of parental conflict for child outcomes. Children whose parents often argue score worse on measures of academic achievement, behavior problems, psychological well-being, and adult relationship quality; they are also more likely to form families early and outside of marriage (Amato & Sobolewski, 2001;Booth & Edwards, 1990;Davies & Cummings, 1994;Emery, 1982;Furstenberg & Teitler, 1994;Grych & Fincham, 1990;Hanson, 1999;Jekielek, 1998;Morrison & Coiro, * Direct correspondence to Kelly Musick, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, MVR 254, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; musick@cornell.edu; Phone: 607-255-6067; Fax: 607-255-4071. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Musick & Bumpass, 1999). Examining variation in conflict ...

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“…The first such measure is living with an unmarried parent and grandparent. Past research (DeLeire and Kalil 2002) finds that teen children of single parents living in three-generation households have outcomes at least as good as do children of twoparent families. Our second measure of doubling-up is living with a parent and a potential nonmarital partner of that parent.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Welfare Reform and Children's Living Arrangements

Bitler¹,

Gelbach²,

Hoynes

2006

J. Human Resources

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Little is known about welfare reform's effects on family structure and children's living arrangements, an important focus for reformers. Using March CPS data, we find that state welfare waivers are associated with children being less likely to live with unmarried parents, more likely to live with married parents, and more likely to live with neither parent. Children living with neither parent are living with grandparents or other relatives, or rarely, in foster care. The estimates vary somewhat by children's race and ethnicity. Due to the limited variation in TANF's implementation timing across states, we focus on the waiver results.

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Good Things Come in Threes: Single-Parent Multigenerational Family Structure and Adolescent Adjustment

Cited by 94 publications

References 0 publications

Parental family experiences, the timing of first sex, and contraception

Parental family experiences, the timing of first sex, and contraception

Are both parents always better than one? Parental conflict and young adult well-being

Welfare Reform and Children's Living Arrangements

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