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Family structure and children's achievements

Author

Listed:
  • John F. Ermisch

    (Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom)

  • Marco Francesconi

    (Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom)

Abstract

In this paper we estimate the relationships between several outcomes in early adulthood (educational attainment, economic inactivity, early childbearing, distress and smoking) and experience of life in a single-parent family during childhood. The analysis is performed using a special sample of young adults, who are selected from the first five waves of the British Household Panel Survey (1991-95) and can be matched with at least one sibling over the same period. We also perform level (logit) estimation using another sample of young adults from the BHPS. We find that: (i) experience of life in a single-parent family is usually associated with disadvantageous outcomes for young adults; (ii) most of the unfavourable outcomes are linked to an early family disruption, when the child was aged 0-5; and (iii) level estimates, whose causal interpretation relies on stronger assumptions, confirm the previous results and show that, for most outcomes, the adverse family structure effect persists even after controlling for the economic conditions of the family of origin.

Suggested Citation

  • John F. Ermisch & Marco Francesconi, 2001. "Family structure and children's achievements," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 14(2), pages 249-270.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:14:y:2001:i:2:p:249-270
    Note: Received: 24 August 1998/Accepted: 21 January 2000
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Family structure · intergenerational links · siblings estimators;

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

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