This article examines the prevalence, predictors and outcomes of unmarried mothers' repartnering patterns following a nonmarital birth. Results indicate that, within five years after a birth, approximately two-thirds of unmarried mothers end their relationship with the focal child's biological father, and more than half of these mothers enter new…

In the article "Cohort Effects on Non-marital Fertility," in this issue of "Social Forces," Jean Stockard employs a novel strategy for disentangling cohort, period, and age effects on the non-marital fertility ratio. In a model with fixed-effect controls for age and for time period, the author documents evidence for three cohort-specific factors…

Our study analyzes how political context, embodied by the welfare state and Leftist political actors, shapes individual poverty. Using the Luxembourg Income Study, we conduct a multi-level analysis of working-aged adult poverty across 18 affluent Western democracies. Our index of welfare generosity has a negative effect on poverty net of…

In this article, the authors clarify and provide additional tests of the key elements of their age-period-cohort analysis of non-marital birth rates in this March 2009 issue of "Social Forces." Where Steve Martin, in his commentary, has suggested specific alternative specifications or interpretations of their findings, the authors have…

This study examines whether the mental and physical health of single mothers benefit from marriage or cohabitation compared to childless women who marry. Results indicate that marrying is associated with similar declines in psychological distress for single mothers and childless women, but only when that marriage endures. Single mothers do not…

Holding family-of-origin occupational characteristics constant, both White and African American men from female-headed one-parent families did as well in terms of socioeconomic attainment and occupational status as did men from families with two biological parents. In contrast, father-headed one-parent families and stepfamilies negatively affected…

Analysis of National Survey of Families and Households data (1987-88) on 4,283 families with children reveals that family net wealth and total private financial transfers received from kin and nonkin varied by family structure: between marriage and remarriage, between marriage and cohabitation, and between male and female single-parent families.…

Examines relationship between changing family living arrangements and psychological well-being of childrearing women. Finds long-term single parenting may be considered a chronic stressor. Reports death of a family member or close friend, unemployment, and residence change are associated with increased distress while friendship and church…

Examines the effects of family type on high school graduation using data from the 1979-85 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Results show that (1) not living with both parents at age 14 has negative consequences for children's high school graduation, and (2) disruptions (changes in family structure) between ages 14 and 17 also…

Among 1,243 adults nationwide, individuals who experienced parental divorce as children scored lower than those from happily intact families of origin on measures of psychological, social, and marital well-being. Multiple parental divorces and divorces involving deterioration of parent-child relations appeared particularly problematic. Contains 39…

Among 13,017 national survey respondents, white males, white females, black females, and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic females, who experienced separation from a biological parent during childhood had lower levels of occupational attainment than those who lived continuously with both parents, but the effects were largely mediated by education and…

Analysis of national survey data found that, compared to other family types, children living with both biological or both (original) adoptive parents had the best academic and behavioral outcomes. Economic disadvantage accounted for much of children's poor outcomes in single-mother families. Parental behaviors, particularly parental support, had…

The longstanding assumption that migration of southern blacks to northern cities negatively affected black family structure in the North was examined by comparing the living arrangements of women and children for migrants and nonmigrants in northern cities, 1940-90. Results show that northern urbanites with "southern origins" actually…

This paper investigates the effects of individual, family, social and demographic characteristics on the maintenance of Spanish among English-speaking Latino youth. This research finds effects of generation, gender, race, parent's English proficiency, single-parent status, parental income, and neighborhood concentration of co-ethnics as well as…