This study investigates the extent to which the extended family provides support to African American nonresident fathers and its influence on their involvement with their children. The data for this study were collected from 278 African American nonresident fathers as a part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The findings revealed…

American undergraduate students (n = 644) completed the Rather Internality-Externality Scale and provided information on their family background. Subjects were grouped according to father absence, cause of this absence, and their age at the time this event occurred. Results indicated locus of control varied markedly as a function of these…

Among women divorcing before age 25, being childless increased the likelihood of remarriage; among women divorcing at 35 or older, having no children decreased it. For women divorcing at age 25 to 34, there was no effect. (Author)

Examined low-income family characteristics important to American public in judging deserved amounts of public assistance. Finding from 1,369 adults suggest focus on characteristics of need in evaluating mother-only families and focus on work status and motivation of father in evaluating 2-parent families. Average benefit designated by respondents…

The effects of early childbearing on a woman's later social and economic status are examined in this paper. Previous research has documented an association of early motherhood with lower educational attainment, marital instability, higher subsequent fertility, and later economic poverty. However, these associations have not been tested in…

A review of the literature on encopresis shows strong emphasis on father-absence as a dominant factor. Other characteristics of patients and their families are listed, and theoretical considerations discussed. (MS)

Gang membership and violence are pervasive across the United States. Today children, adolescents and young adults of all social classes and environments are susceptible to gang involvement. Gang members are getting younger and gang leaders are getting older. The composition and structure of the family is examined for the common element between…

Comparison of household structures and living arrangements among Black, Hispanic, and White families indicated that both economic factors and cultural variables influenced the formation of extended households. Families with single female heads, which were hypothesized to be most closely associated with economic disadvantage, were most likely to be…

Comparing human values priorities among individuals from intact and fatherless families, this study indicated college students from divorced families placed significantly higher priority on values of "mature love,""self-respect," and "polite" than did students from intact families. Students whose fathers had died…

Collected data on young men, primarily aged 18-26, to discover common characteristics of those who became absent fathers. Compared statistics for Hispanic, Black, and White men regarding extent of absent fatherhood, difference between age cohorts, age of first sexual activity, number of children, family SES, academic performance, schooling, and…

Evaluated the relationship of demographic, individual, and family relationship variables to criminal activity among juvenile offenders and their siblings. Socialized-aggressive disorder, as rated by the parent(s), the adolescent's age at first arrest, and several family relationship measures were significant predictors of arrest. (JAC)

Notes that a challenging aspect of teaching young children about families is teaching about a wide variety of fathers. Discusses how to develop and implement appropriate curriculum content about fathers and other males. Offers suggestions for identifying resources and concepts, developing and implementing learning activities, and evaluating and…

Using data from the 1984 (sixth wave) survey of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this report describes the household structure and parental characteristics of about 4,400 children born to a national cross-section of American mothers 19 to 27 years of age. About 80 percent of the children were under 6 years of age and most of the rest…

Researchers who employ contextual models of parenting contend that it is not spanking per se, but rather the context in which spanking occurs and the meanings children ascribe to spanking, that predict child outcomes. This study proposed two plausible meanings that children may ascribe to spanking--a legitimate expression of parental authority or…

This article describes the results of an empirical study of the relationship of eligibility criteria and noneligibility factors to the use of public assistance. Some commonly held beliefs about welfare recipients are questioned. (Author)