Examined educational outcomes for eighth graders: 409 in single-father, 3,483 in single-mother, and 14,269 in biological 2-parent families. Found that children from single-father and single-mother families performed roughly the same in school, but both were outperformed by children from two-parent families. Intervening processes explaining school…

Describes experience of helping two sets of divorcing parents retain meaningful contact between young children and non-resident fathers. Argues that failure to consider past parenting practices, to grant children party status and give them independent representation, and to offer child-centered services to help parents practice shared parenting…

Parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities generally report more stress than other parents. Child behavioural features, and specifically their behaviour problems, have been shown to account for some of the variation in parents' experience of stress. However, there has been no exploration of whether the child's pro-social…

In a study of 1073 black fourth graders from a low income area in a large metropolitan area, those from father present homes achieved a significantly higher reading achievement score than those coming from father absent homes. Limitations of the research and implications for future research are discussed. (EH)

The behavior of young and adolescent male children from homes without fathers was compared to comparable groups of children from intact homes. Teachers reported no difference in academic and extracurricular participation and performance. It was concluded that, in general, the behavior of children with and without fathers is not appreciably…

In recent years there has been a rapid growth in the number of households headed by women and in the proportion of these households receiving public assistance. This paper presents a model to test the hypothesis that changes in the public assistance system contributed to the increase in these households. Current Population Survey data on the…

Using instruments which measured reading readiness, intelligence, reading achievement, and school attitudes, data was gathered to evaluate the hypothesis that the reading achievement of first grade boys taught by a male teacher would be significantly higher than those taught by a female teacher and, conversely, that the reading achievement of…

In view of the increasing number of single women who adopt children, the social work profession has an obligation to learn more about this group of mothers. This article is based on a research study to identify characteristics of single adoptive mothers and their children and to learn what community supports the mothers believe would be helpful.…

In a study of intact and of father-absent families with 48 children (12 to 15 years old), male adolescent disturbance in both groups was found to be related to less warm, supportive, and expressive intrafamilial relations; less of a family orientation toward personal growth; and less successful participation in extrafamilial involvement. (Author)

Notes that children whose parents divorce will experience a decline in the quality of their relationship with the noncustodial parent and that many children from divorced families will spend a significant amount of time without an adult male present. Calls for research to examine effects of weakened child-father bond. (NB)

Explored community parental surrogates and their role for adolescents. The rabbi/tutor and coach/umpire help resolve oedipal issues and promote the establishment of cohesive self. Clinical vignettes illustrate how de-idealization by proxy may aid detachment from childhood love-objects and allow healthy partial identification with the same-sex…

Examined income and food and housing expenditures for the last married year for couples and then five years after marital dissolution in female (N=5,000) respondents to the University of Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results showed that incomes and expenditures for food, but not for housing, dropped after marital dissolution. (LLL)

Father's occupation was found to be associated with significant differences in quantitative and verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. Further, significant relationships between sex, ethnic status, and father's absence and SAT scores were found. (Author/BW)

Most women who maintain families have a strong commitment to the labor force but have lower average educational attainment and earnings, bringing them closer to poverty with each additional child. (JOW)