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Nonresident Fathers and the Economic Precarity of Their Children

Author

Listed:
  • Lenna Nepomnyaschy
  • Margaret Thomas
  • Alex Haralampoudis
  • Huiying Jin

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between nonresident fathers and their children’s economic precarity. We use a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse sample of children in large U.S. cities and consider a comprehensive set of measures of the involvement of nonresident fathers in their lives. We evaluate both voluntary and involuntary (court-ordered child support) involvement of fathers, and we look at material hardship and income-to-poverty ratio as measures of children’s economic precarity. We find that only high levels of formal child support have a protective effect on children’s economic well-being, while fathers’ voluntary involvement (experienced by 70 percent of children) has a more consistent protective effect. Overall, policies to reduce children’s economic precarity need to focus on improving nonresident fathers’ ability to be involved with and contribute to their children, as well as on direct assistance to custodial mother families.

Suggested Citation

  • Lenna Nepomnyaschy & Margaret Thomas & Alex Haralampoudis & Huiying Jin, 2022. "Nonresident Fathers and the Economic Precarity of Their Children," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 78-96, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:702:y:2022:i:1:p:78-96
    DOI: 10.1177/00027162221119348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Reichman, Nancy E. & Teitler, Julien O. & Garfinkel, Irwin & McLanahan, Sara S., 2001. "Fragile Families: sample and design," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4-5), pages 303-326.
    2. Yoonsook Ha & Maria Cancian & Daniel R. Meyer, 2018. "Child Support and Income Inequality," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(2), pages 147-158, June.
    3. Lenna Nepomnyaschy, 2007. "Child support and father-child contact: Testing reciprocal pathways," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 44(1), pages 93-112, February.
    4. Cuesta, Laura & Meyer, Daniel R., 2018. "Child poverty and child support policy: A comparative analysis of Colombia and the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 143-153.
    5. Harry J. Holzer & Paul Offner & Elaine Sorensen, 2005. "Declining employment among young black less-educated men: The role of incarceration and child support," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(2), pages 329-350.
    6. Steven Garasky & Susan Stewart, 2007. "Evidence of the Effectiveness of Child Support and Visitation: Examining Food Insecurity among Children with Nonresident Fathers," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 105-121, March.
    7. Terry-Ann Craigie, 2012. "Informal Child Support Contributions in Black Female-Headed Families," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 39(2), pages 259-265, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mia Hakovirta & Laura Cuesta & Mari Haapanen & Daniel R. Meyer, 2022. "Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 702(1), pages 97-111, July.

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