Family Structure and the Economic Mobility of Children
Family Structure and the Economic Mobility of Children explores the relationship between parental marital status and intergenerational economic mobility. Co-authored by Thomas DeLeire of the University of Wisconsin and Leonard M. Lopoo of Syracuse University, the report compares the economic mobility outcomes for children who were born to single mothers, divorced parents, and continuously married parents. It finds that, across the income distribution, divorce is particularly harmful for children’s economic mobility in both absolute and relative terms. The report also highlights the striking differences in economic mobility outcomes for white and African American children, but finds that family structure does not fully explain these differences.
To view the full report, click on the report image.
(MAY 2010)
- Table 1: Distribution of Family Income Across Generations
- Table 2: Distribution of Parent-Child Pairs by Family Structure and Race
- Figure 1: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Family Income than Parents, by Family Structure
- Figure 2: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Family Income than Parents, by Family Structure and Parents' Position in the Income Distribution
- Figure 3: Relative Mobility for All Families
- Figure 4: Relative Mobility for Children by Mother's Family Structure Type
- Figure 5: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Family Income Than Parents, by Parents' Position in the INcome Distribution and Race
- Figure 6: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Family Income Than Parents, by Parents' Position in the Income Distribution and Race, Continuously Married
- Figure 7: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Family Income Than Parents, by Parents' Position in the Income Distribution and Race, Ever Divorced
- Figure 8: Relative Mobility by Race
- Figure 9: Relative Mobility for Children of Continuously Married Parents, by Race
- Figure 10: Relative Mobility for Children of Ever-Divorced Parents, by Race
- Table A1: Description of Sample Size and Cases Lost in Analytic PSID Sample
- Figure B1: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Per Capita Family Income than Parents
- Figure B2: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Per Capita Family Income than Parents, by Family Structure and Parents' Position in the Income Distribution
- Figure B3: Relative Mobility: Children Whose Mothers Ever Divorced
- Figure B4: Absolute Mobility: Proportion of Children with Greater Per Capita Family Income Than Parents, by Tertile and Race, Ever Divorced
- Figure B5: Relative Mobility for Ever-Divorced African Americans
- Figure B6: Relative Mobility for Ever-Divorced Whites
