Title

Unwed Mothers' Private Safety Nets and Children's Socioemotional Wellbeing

Author(s)

Rebecca M. Ryan Rebecca Ryan (University of Chicago)

Ariel Kalil Ariel Kalil (University of Chicago)

Lindsey J. Leininger Lindsey Leininger (University of Chicago)

Abstract

Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1,162) and the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (N = 1,308), we estimate associations between material and instrumental support available to unwed, low-income mothers and young children?s socioemotional wellbeing. In multivariate OLS models, we find mothers' available support is negatively associated with children's behavior problems and positively associated with prosocial behavior in both datasets; associations between available support and children's internalizing and prosocial behaviors attenuate but remain robust in residualized change models. Overall, results support the hypothesis that the availability of a private safety net is positively associated with children's socioemotional adjustment.

Creation Date

2008-03

Section URL ID

CRCW

Paper Number

WP08-05-FF.pdf

URL

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23544095_Unwed_Mothersa_Private_Safety_Nets_and_Childrenas_Socioemotional_Wellbeing

File Function

Jel

Keyword(s)

Suppress

false

Series

8