Skip to main content
Log in

The counteracting influences of increased female headship and decreased number of children on inequality in economic well-being by age: 1960 to 1980

  • Published:
Population Research and Policy Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study uses 1960, 1970, and 1980 US Census data to investigate the effects of increased female headship and decreased number of children on economic well-being. The main findings are (1) while increases in female headship lowered economic well-being, decreases in number of children raised economic well-being so that these changes had counteracting effects, and (2) age inequality in economic well-being changed because family composition changes varied in intensity by age group.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Astone, N. M.and S. S. McLanahan (1991). Family structure, parental practices, and high school completion, American Sociological Review 56: 309–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi, S. M. (1980). Racial differences in per capita income, 1960–1976: The importance of household size, headship, labor force participation, Demography 17: 129–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi, S. M. (1981). Household composition and racial inequality. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake, J. (1989). Family size and achievement. Berkeley, CA: University of California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buhmann, B., L. Rainwater, G. Schmaus and T. M. Smeeding (1988). Equivalence scales, well-being, inequality, and poverty: Sensitivity estimates across ten countries using the Luxembourg income study (LIS) database, Review of Income and Wealth 34: 115–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bumpass, L. L. and S. S. McLanahan (1989). Unmarried motherhood: Recent trends, composition, and black-white differences, Demography 26: 279–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutright, P. and H. L. Smith (1986). Declining family size and the number of poor families in the United States: 1964–1983, Social Science Research 15: 256–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, G. J. and S. D. Hoffman (1985). A reconsideration of the economic consequences of marital dissolution, Demography 22: 485–497.

    Google Scholar 

  • Espenshade, T. J. (1979). Economic consequences of divorce, Journal of Marriage and the Family 41: 615–625.

    Google Scholar 

  • Espenshade, T. J., G. Kamenske and B. A. Turchi (1983). Family size and economic welfare, Family Planning Perspectives 15: 289–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farley, R. (1984). Blacks and Whites: Narrowing the Gap? Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs, V. R. (1986). Sex differences in economic well-being, Science 232: 459–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garfinkel, I. and S. S. McLanahan (1986). Single mothers and their children: A new American dilemma. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitagawa, E. M. (1955). Components of a difference between two rates, Journal of the American Statistical Association 1: 68–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krein, S. F. and A. H. Beller (1988). Educational attainment of children from single-parent families: Differences by exposure, gender, and race, Demography 25: 221–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazear, E. P. and R. T. Michael (1988). Allocation of income within the household. Chicago: University of Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLanahan, S. S. (1985). Family structure and the reproduction of poverty, American Journal of Sociology 90: 873–901.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLanahan, S. S. (1988). Family structure and dependency: Early transitions to female household headship, Demography 25: 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLanahan, S. S. and L. L. Bumpass (1988). Intergenerational Consequences of family disruption, American Journal of Sociology 94: 130–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLanahan, S.S. and I. Garfinkel (1989). Single mothers, the underclass, and social policy, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 501: 92–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, B. and L. C. Steelman (1990). Beyond sibship size: Sibling density, sex composition, and educational outcomes, Social Forces 69: 181–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, S. H. (1984). Children and the elderly: Divergent paths for America's dependents, Demography 21: 435–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, C., S. Danziger and E. Smolensky (1987). The level and trend in poverty in the United States, 1939–1979,Demography 24: 587–600.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandefur,G. D., S. S. McLanahan and R. A. Wojtkiewicz (forthcoming). The effects of parental marital status during adolescence on high school graduation. Social Forces.

  • Shaw, L. B. (1982). High school completion for young women: Effects of low income and living with a single parent, Journal of Family Issues 3: 147–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weitzman, L. J. (1985). The divorce revolution. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wojtkiewicz, R.A. The counteracting influences of increased female headship and decreased number of children on inequality in economic well-being by age: 1960 to 1980. Popul Res Policy Rev 11, 263–279 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00124941

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00124941

Keywords

Navigation