The Evolution of Family Complexity from the Perspective of Nonmarital Children

Abstract

We document the incidence and evolution of family complexity from the perspective of children. Following a cohort of firstborn children whose mothers were not married at the time of their birth, we consider family structure changes over the first 10 years of the child's life-considering both full and half-siblings who are coresidential or who live in another household. We rely on detailed longitudinal administrative data from Wisconsin that include information on the timing of subsequent births to the mother and father, and detailed information on earnings, child support, and welfare. We find that 60% of firstborn children of unmarried mothers have at least one half-sibling by age 10. Our results highlight the importance of having fertility information for both fathers and mothers: estimates of the proportion of children with half-siblings would be qualitatively lower if we had fertility information on only one parent. Complex family structures are more likely for children of parents who are younger or who have low earnings and for those in larger urban areas. Children who have half-siblings on their mother's side are also more likely to have half-siblings on their father's side, and vice versa, contributing to very complex family structures-and potential child support arrangements-for some children.

Union dissolution and migration

“…The results imply that the need for separated parents with joint or shared custody to geographically coordinate the living arrangements of their children is associated with reduced levels of migration. The creation of two families due to union dissolution is just one example of the ways in which families in the United States have become more complex over the last several decades (see Cancian, Meyer, and Cook 2011), but if this source of complexity is associated with reduced levels of migration then it is not unreasonable to conclude that the more general trend toward greater family complexity may be a significant driver in reducing aggregate migration rates.…”

Fathers’ Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children: The Role of Pediatricians

“…79 Children are affected by their fathers' multipartner fertility, because it leads to complex family structures and diminished resources for each child. 82,83 Children with nonresident fathers with multipartner fertility experience less overall parentchild interaction than children with nonresident fathers without multipartner fertility. 84 Nonresident fathers also provide less monetary support for their children when they have a child with a new partner.…”

Family Diversity and Child Health: Where Do Same‐Sex Couple Families Fit?

“…Although the majority of American children still reside with married biological or stepparents (Vespa, Lewis, & Krieder, 2013), a large proportion of families with children now fall outside the "traditional" nuclear family rubric (Cancian et al, 2011). Within the family structure literature, the terms traditional or simple generally denote family units that consist solely of a married mother and father living together with their biological children.…”

“…Families with children have become increasingly diverse over the past several decades, with significant increases in single parenthood, multipartner fertility, cohabiting and stepparent families, and the number of same-sex couples raising children (Cancian, Meyer, & Cook, 2011;Goldberg, Gartrell, & Gates, 2014;McLanahan & Percheski, 2008). Both the diversification of family forms and the increasing political scrutiny of them (Manning, Fettro, & Lamidi, 2014) underscore the need to better understand whether children are faring equally well across these heterogeneous family structures.…”