American families are experiencing the effects of the "Great Recession." Most of the job losses are accruing to men, so families may find it strategic for wives to enter the labor force, or increase their work hours. We consider this possibility using the May 2008 and 2009 Current Population Survey, and compare findings to May 2004 and 2005 data,…

In settings highly affected by HIV/AIDS, households headed by children may result from strained family relations, poverty, and stigma associated with the disease. Understanding local systems and dynamics of support is essential to planning comprehensive models of care. This study measured size and composition of the support and conflict networks…

During the economic crises Nicaragua suffered between 2000 and 2002, a conditional cash transfer program targeting poor households began operating. Using panel data on 1,397 households from the program's experimentally designed evaluation, we examined the impact of the program on household structure. Our findings suggest that the program enabled…

Capturing the conditions of children of color living in single-parent families has become more complex due to the growing presence of interracial households. This analysis assesses the size and poverty status of single-female headed families housing multiracial children. Using data from the 2000 Census, we find that 9 percent of female-headed…

Objective: Assess how per capita expenditure on commercially prepared food as a proportion of total food expenditure varies by the sex and marital status of the head of the household. Design: Prospective cohort study, data collected by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics 2004 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Setting: United States.…

Although a growing number of child placement agencies are serving lesbians and gay men, a dearth of literature exists for adoption agency policies and practices related to working with this population. This article explores the unique characteristics and strengths of prospective gay and lesbian adoptive parents throughout each of the three phases…

Several recent reports have highlighted the earnings gap between high school graduates and dropouts; however, earnings tell only part of the story. Families rely on income from salary for regular expenses, but real economic security requires accumulated wealth. Education can be the key to higher earnings, but it is even more importantly linked to…

A comparison of two-questionnaire households to one-questionnaire households indicates that: the former had a lower response rate; item nonresponse was similar; characteristics of responding households were similar; data-gathering costs were increased somewhat but remained miniscule compared to in-person interviews; and in 26 percent of the…

Using 1975 and 1976 data from the Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this study examines the significance of the 1975 recession for families with children under 18. This study attempted to ascertain what families with children were most susceptible to having an unemployed breadwinner in 1975 and why some family heads were more susceptible to…

This study analyzes urban-rural variations in Philippine household size and components of household size, as well as the relative contribution of these components to household size. Household size is larger in urban than in rural areas and the difference largely reflects the presence of extended family members and non-relatives. (Author)

This is a short summary of research undertaken to find if there is a degree of correlation between a measure of filial piety and a measure of authoritarianism exhibited by Chinese as opposed to Americans. (JH)

This report attempts to describe empirically the decision making processes of black families. A black community in Northeastern Ohio was the subject of the study. Information was obtained from interviews with both the husband and wife of 203 families. In addition, an analysis of each subject's perception of his family's orientation is included.…

In 1980 the poverty rates for women were about one and a half times greater than those for men. Between 1950 and 1980 the degree of inequality between the sexes increased by about 30 percent. This paper describes those trends, focusing on the sex of the individual rather than sex of the household head. It also examines differences in the risk of…

The characteristics, particularly those related to low income and poverty, of rural Wisconsin households (families and individuals living along) whose head was age 63 or older were studied. "Rural" was defined as towns of 2,500 population or less and the open countryside, including farms. Data were gathered in early 1968 through…

Study analyses relationship between proportion of the population receiving public assistance payments under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program and the level of income available to recipients from the program relative to expected earnings. Results indicate statistically significant response of AFDC recipient rate (caseload/eligible…