Communication Speech
With dramatic growth in nonrmarital births, an increasing number of children are growing up in single-mother families. This study examines the relationships among nonresident fathers' parenting and children's behavioral and cognitive development in low-income, single-mother families. It also considers the personal characteristics ofthe children's single mothers as well as family processes and economic circumstances. Analyses use the first three waves of longitudinal data from a sub.sample of single and noncohabiting mothers in the Fragile Families and C:hild Wellbeing Study. Results suggest that nonresident fathers' parenting is indirectly associated with children's behavior problems and cognitive development.
The findings further suggest that those estimated associations are transmitted through mothers' parenting. The study also discusses the policy and practice implications of its findings.
Demographic changes, including dramatic growth in the number of nonmarital births, have increased the number of cbildren raised iu single-mother families. In 2006, for example, nonmarital births accounted for 50.4 percent of all births to women under age 30 (Herbert
2008). Single mothers are more likely than other mothers to be poor, and their children are more likely than others to have an uninvolved or missing father (McAdoo 1993; Staples 1999; McLoyd et al. 2000).
Some, including President Barack Obama, contend that fathers, whether resident or nonresident, are critical to the foundation of the family
(Bosnian 2008). Others argue that children develop optimally in famihes that include both a primary caregiver (usually a mother) and another supporter (often a father) of the primary caregiver (see, e.g., Broufen-
Sodal Service Review (December 2010).
© 2010 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
0037-7961/2010/8404-0005$10.00
656 Social Service Review brenner 1988; Jackson and Scheines 2005; Jackson, Choi, and Franke
2009). There is
The findings further suggest that those estimated associations are transmitted through mothers' parenting. The study also discusses the policy and practice implications of its findings.
Demographic changes, including dramatic growth in the number of nonmarital births, have increased the number of cbildren raised iu single-mother families. In 2006, for example, nonmarital births accounted for 50.4 percent of all births to women under age 30 (Herbert
2008). Single mothers are more likely than other mothers to be poor, and their children are more likely than others to have an uninvolved or missing father (McAdoo 1993; Staples 1999; McLoyd et al. 2000).
Some, including President Barack Obama, contend that fathers, whether resident or nonresident, are critical to the foundation of the family
(Bosnian 2008). Others argue that children develop optimally in famihes that include both a primary caregiver (usually a mother) and another supporter (often a father) of the primary caregiver (see, e.g., Broufen-
Sodal Service Review (December 2010).
© 2010 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.
0037-7961/2010/8404-0005$10.00
656 Social Service Review brenner 1988; Jackson and Scheines 2005; Jackson, Choi, and Franke
2009). There is