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Mothers, Fathers and Children after Divorce: The Role of Institutions

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  • Del Boca, Daniela

    (University of Turin)

Abstract

In recent years the increase in the divorce rate in many advanced countries and the predominance of female-headed families among the poor has generated much interest in the relationship between divorce and the welfare of mothers and children. In this paper I will review a small body of economic literature which has been recently developed in order to analyze the economic consequence of divorce on the welfare of fathers, mothers and children under alternative behavioral assumptions. Important economic and econometric issues arise from an analysis of welfare in non intact households as compared with intact households. In particular the focus is on the role that institutions play in post-divorce arrangements and important implications concerning policies for child support, custody, and visitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Del Boca, Daniela, 2002. "Mothers, Fathers and Children after Divorce: The Role of Institutions," IZA Discussion Papers 428, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp428
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    1. repec:zbw:rwirep:0196 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Frimmel, Wolfgang & Halla, Martin & Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf, 2024. "How does parental divorce affect children’s long-term outcomes?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    3. Gianna Claudia Giannelli & Lucia Mangiavacchi, 2010. "Children's Schooling and Parental Migration: Empirical Evidence on the ‘Left‐behind’ Generation in Albania," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 24(s1), pages 76-92, December.
    4. Anna Klabunde & Evelyn Korn, 2010. "Parasites and Raven Mothers: A German-Japanese Comparison on (Lone) Motherhood," Ruhr Economic Papers 0196, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Rossin-Slater, Maya & Wüst, Miriam, 2018. "Parental responses to child support obligations: Evidence from administrative data," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 183-196.
    6. Morten Bennedsen & Kasper Nielsen & Francisco Pérez-González & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2005. "Inside the Family Firm: The Role of Families in Succession Decisions and Performance," CIE Discussion Papers 2005-13, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. Centre for Industrial Economics, revised Sep 2005.
    7. Samara R. Gunter, 2018. "Child support wage withholding and father–child contact: parental bargaining and salience effects," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 427-452, June.
    8. Klabunde, Anna & Korn, Evelyn, 2010. "Parasites and Raven Mothers: A German-Japanese Comparison on (Lone) Motherhood," Ruhr Economic Papers 196, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    9. Bennedsen, Morten & Nielsen, Kasper & Pérez-González, Francisco & Wolfenzon, Daniel, 2005. "Inside the Family Firm," Working Papers 21-2005, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics.
    10. Daniela Del Boca & Rocio Ribero, 2003. "Visitations and Transfers After Divorce," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 187-204, September.
    11. Pierre-André Chiappori & Yoram Weiss, 2007. "Divorce, Remarriage, and Child Support," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 25(1), pages 37-74.
    12. Ross Richardson & Lia Pacelli & Ambra Poggi & Matteo Richiardi, 2018. "Female Labour Force Projections Using Microsimulation for Six EU Countries," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(2), pages 5-51.
    13. Tilak Sanyal, 2019. "A mechanism design approach to child custody allocation in divorce," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 389-406, June.
    14. Cécile Bourreau-Dubois & Myriam Doriat-Duban & Jean-Claude Ray, 2014. "Child support order: how do judges decide without guidelines? Evidence from France," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 431-452, December.
    15. Joaquín Andaluz & Miriam Marcén & José Alberto Molina, 2017. "The Effects of Inter-Generational Transfers on the Marital Surplus," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 85(3), pages 320-338, June.
    16. Hanno Foerster, 2019. "Untying the Knot: How Child Support and Alimony Affect Couples' Decisions and Welfare," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2019_115v2, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    17. Fabrizio Bernardi & Diederik Boertien, 2017. "Explaining Conflicting Results in Research on the Heterogeneous Effects of Parental Separation on Children’s Educational Attainment According to Social Background," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(2), pages 243-266, May.
    18. Martin Halla, 2005. "Unterhalt, Obsorge und Scheidungsanwälte: Eine ökonometrische Untersuchung der einvernehmlichen Scheidung in Österreich," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 141(IV), pages 501-525, December.
    19. Chiappori, Pierre-Andre & Weiss, Yoram, 2006. "Divorce, Remarriage and Child Support," Foerder Institute for Economic Research Working Papers 275694, Tel-Aviv University > Foerder Institute for Economic Research.
    20. Anna Klabunde & Evelyn Korn, 2010. "Parasites and Raven Mothers: A German-Japanese comparison on (lone) motherhood," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201023, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    21. Hanno Foerster, 2019. "The Impact of Post-Marital Maintenance on Dynamic Decisions and Welfare of Couples," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 982, Boston College Department of Economics.
    22. Fausta Ongaro & Stefano Mazzuco & Silvia Meggiolaro, 2009. "Economic Consequences of Union Dissolution in Italy: Findings from the European Community Household Panel," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 25(1), pages 45-65, February.
    23. Gloria Moroni, 2018. "Explaining Divorce Gaps in Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills of Children," Discussion Papers 18/16, Department of Economics, University of York.
    24. Stephen Morris, 2007. "Child Support Awards in Britain: An analysis of data from the Families and Children Study," CASE Papers case119, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    25. Bruno Jeandidier & Cécile Bourreau-Dubois & Myriam Doriat-Duban, 2009. "Économie du droit du divorce," Post-Print halshs-00521353, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    intra-household allocation; children welfare; Divorce;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • K40 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - General

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