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Abstract
I use data from the Fragile Families Study to investigate the links between family structure, mothering behaviors, and child well-being. I take into consideration the considerable diversity of unmarried family forms involving children, and disentangle the effects of family structure from the effects of family instability. Each chapter is written in journal article format.
Chapter one investigates whether the factors associated with marriage and separation are similar for all unmarried parents. I examine the extent to which human capital, relationship quality, and attitudes about marriage and gender are associated with union transitions for cohabiting parents and visiting parents, defined as romantically involved couples, who do not co-reside. The results suggest that the predictors differ for each group. Cohabitors place more emphasis on relationship quality in their transition to marriage, whereas visitors place more importance on human capital. Moreover, visitors are more likely to separate from a potentially stressful relationship.
Chapter two compares mothering behaviors in four types of stable family structures one year after the birth of a child. I also examine differences in mothering behaviors between stable and unstable families. The findings show that differences in mothering behaviors are largely explained by differences in mother's age, race, and education. Importantly, separation from marriage has more of a negative impact on mothering behaviors than does separation from an unmarried relationship.
Chapter three uses preliminary data from the Fragile Families Study to examine whether there is an advantage to children born to married versus cohabiting parents. This chapter is co-authored with Sara McLanahan and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn. We consider how differences in mothers' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, mental and physical health, parents' relationship quality, mothering behaviors, and family instability explain differences in child behavioral problems at age three. The results show that children born to married parents have fewer reported behavioral problems. About half of the marriage advantage is explained by characteristics of the mother that pre-date family structure. However, we cannot fully account for the marriage advantage associated with withdrawn, anxious/depressive, and overall behavioral problems.
