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A Sibling Study of Stepchild Well-being

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  • Eirik Evenhouse
  • Siobhan Reilly

Abstract

Examining 33 indicators of well-being from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we conclude that stepchildren’ s inferior outcomes are not entirely explained by sample selection. Using sibling comparisons to control for unobserved family characteristics, we identify stepparent effects by comparing half-siblings in families in which one child has both parents and the other a parent and stepparent. Most estimated effects retain their sign after differencing across siblings, and a third remain statistically significant. The estimates’ sensitivity to the choice of indicator suggests that studies based on a single measure of child wellbeing may be misleading.

Suggested Citation

  • Eirik Evenhouse & Siobhan Reilly, 2004. "A Sibling Study of Stepchild Well-being," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(1).
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:39:y:2004:i:1:p248-276
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    Cited by:

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    2. Sundström, Marianne, 2013. "Growing up in a blended family or a stepfamily: What is the impact on education?," Working Paper Series 2/2013, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    3. Benta A. Abuya & Maurice Mutisya & Elijah O. Onsomu & Moses Ngware & Moses Oketch, 2019. "Family Structure and Child Educational Attainment in the Slums of Nairobi, Kenya," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(2), pages 21582440198, June.
    4. Chiara Pronzato & Arnstein Aassve, 2019. "Parental breakup and children’s development: the role of time and of post-separation conditions," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 67-87, March.
    5. Valerie K. Heintz-Martin & Alexandra N. Langmeyer, 2020. "Economic Situation, Financial Strain and Child Wellbeing in Stepfamilies and Single-Parent Families in Germany," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 238-254, June.
    6. Donna K. Ginther & Astrid L. Grasdal & Robert A. Pollak, 2019. "Fathers' Multiple-Partner Fertility and Children’s Educational Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 26242, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. repec:pri:crcwel:wp08-03-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Moschion, Julie & van Ours, Jan C., 2019. "Do childhood experiences of parental separation lead to homelessness?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 211-236.
    9. Kelly Bedard & Allison Witman, 2020. "Family structure and the gender gap in ADHD," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1101-1129, December.
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    11. Katya Ivanova, 2020. "My Children, Your Children, Our Children, and My Well-Being: Life Satisfaction of “Empty Nest” Biological Parents and Stepparents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 613-633, February.
    12. Karine Marazyan, 2009. "Explaining Differences in Education between Foster Children and Biological Children: a Sibling Rivalry Approach. Some Evidence from Indonesia," Working Papers halshs-00290644, HAL.
    13. Juho Härkönen & Fabrizio Bernardi & Diederik Boertien, 2017. "Family Dynamics and Child Outcomes: An Overview of Research and Open Questions," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(2), pages 163-184, May.
    14. Tian, Xu & von Cramon-Taubadel, Stephan, 2020. "Are only children in China more likely to be obese/overweight than their counterparts with siblings?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    15. Maria Cancian & Daniel Meyer & Steven Cook, 2011. "The Evolution of Family Complexity from the Perspective of Nonmarital Children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(3), pages 957-982, August.
    16. Laura Tach & Kathryn Edin & Hope Harvey & Brielle Bryan, 2014. "The Family-Go-Round," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 654(1), pages 169-184, July.
    17. Stephen T. Mennemeyer & Bisakha Sen, 2006. "Undesirable Juvenile Behavior and the Quality of Parental Relationships," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 73(2), pages 437-460, October.
    18. Mariano Tommasi & María Edo & Agustina Thailinger, 2021. "Familia y desarrollo humano en el siglo XXI. Revisión de la literatura internacional y algunos apuntes para el caso argentino," Working Papers 152, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised May 2021.
    19. Tomoki Fujii, 2015. "Impact of International Remittances on Schooling in the Philippines: Does the Relationship to the Household Head Matter?," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 29(3), pages 265-284, September.
    20. Trude Lappegård & Elizabeth Thomson, 2018. "Intergenerational Transmission of Multipartner Fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(6), pages 2205-2228, December.
    21. Alexander N. Slade & Andrea H. Beller & Elizabeth T. Powers, 2017. "Family structure and young adult health outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 175-197, March.
    22. Laura Tach, 2015. "Social Mobility in an Era of Family Instability and Complexity," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 657(1), pages 83-96, January.
    23. Kelly Stamper Balistreri, 2018. "Family Structure and Child Food Insecurity: Evidence from the Current Population Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 1171-1185, August.
    24. Marcia J. Carlson & Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr., 2007. "The Consequences of Multi-partnered Fertility for Parental Involvement and Relationships," Working Papers 908, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    25. Terry-Ann Craigie, 2008. "Effects of Paternal Presence and Family Stability on Child Cognitive Performance," Working Papers 1015, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..

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