Family Instability, Stress Heighten Adolescents' Risk of Premarital Birth

As patterns of union formation and dissolution in adult lives become complex, the living arrangements of American children are becoming increasingly fluid. With a sample ( N = 12,843) drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study attempted to capture this complexity by mapping out children's family structure histories across their early life course, investigating the implications of these arrangements for their general adjustment, and finally, identifying family processes that explained these associations. The findings suggest that a sizable minority of young people experience dynamic family structure arrangements. Moreover, family structure at adolescence best predicted later emotional distress, and family structure at adolescence plus an indicator of cumulative family instability across childhood best predicted current marijuana use. More so than indicators tapping social control, levels of family connectedness and parent—adolescent relationship quality were key conduits for these associations.

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Divorce and Family Instability

Influences on Human Development ◽

10.1007/978-94-009-5642-1_5 ◽

1984 ◽

pp. 59-79

Author(s):

Robert L. Baker ◽

Birgitte R. Mednick

Keyword(s):

Family Instability

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Early-Life Adversities and Recalcitrant Smoking in Midlife: An Examination of Gender and Life-Course Pathways

Annals of Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/abm/kaaa023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (11) ◽

pp. 867-879

Author(s):

Chioun Lee ◽

Lexi Harari ◽

Soojin Park

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Low Socioeconomic Status ◽

Early Life ◽

Financial Strain ◽

Low Ses ◽

Family Instability ◽

Family Problems ◽

Low Socioeconomic ◽

Logistic Regression Models

Abstract Background Little is known about life-course factors that explain why some individuals continue smoking despite having smoking-related diseases. Purpose We examined (a) the extent to which early-life adversities are associated with the risk of recalcitrant smoking, (b) psychosocial factors that mediate the association, and (c) gender differences in the associations. Methods Data were from 4,932 respondents (53% women) who participated in the first and follow-up waves of the Midlife Development in the U.S. National Survey. Early-life adversities include low socioeconomic status (SES), abuse, and family instability. Potential mediators include education, financial strain, purpose in life, mood disorder, family problems/support, and marital status. We used sequential logistic regression models to estimate the effect of early-life adversities on the risk of each of the three stages on the path to recalcitrant smoking (ever-smoking, smoking-related illness, and recalcitrant smoking). Results For women, low SES (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; 1.06–1.55) and family instability (OR = 1.73; 1.14–2.62) are associated with an elevated risk of recalcitrant smoking. Education significantly reduces the effect of childhood SES, yet the effect of family instability remains significant even after accounting for life-course mediators. For men, the effect of low SES on recalcitrant smoking is robust (OR = 1.48; 1.10–2.00) even after controlling for potential mediators. There are noteworthy life-course factors that independently affect recalcitrant smoking: for both genders, not living with a partner; for women, education; and for men, family problems. Conclusions The findings can help shape intervention programs that address the underlying factors of recalcitrant smoking.

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Family Instability in the Lives of American Children

Annual Review of Sociology ◽

10.1146/annurev-soc-073018-022633 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 493-513 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Shannon E. Cavanagh ◽

Paula Fomby

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Cultural Factors ◽

Family Composition ◽

Family Instability ◽

National Data ◽

Dynamic Nature ◽

Family Organization ◽

Union Status ◽

New Directions ◽

American Children

Scholars have long looked to family composition to understand child well-being. The study of family instability, or the experience of repeated changes in parents’ union status during childhood, represents a recent advance in this field that takes into account the dynamic nature of contemporary family organization and considers its implications for children's adjustment and development. We review some of the structural and cultural factors that have contributed to rising levels of family instability and highlight the emergence of national data to measure it. We then review the perspective that guides much of the scholarship on family instability and critically assess the contributions of this work to the understanding of child well-being. We close by suggesting new directions for research, with a call for work that broadens the conceptualization and measurement of contemporary children's family systems and home environments as well as the mechanisms that explain why—or whether—instability matters.

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Early childhood family instability and immune system dysregulation in adolescence

Psychoneuroendocrinology ◽

10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.014 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 102 ◽

pp. 189-195

Author(s):

Kammi K. Schmeer ◽

Jodi L. Ford ◽

Christopher R. Browning

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Immune System ◽

Family Instability

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Child Abuse, Policy Communities, and Frame Contestation During the Progressive Era

Journal of Policy History ◽

10.1017/s0898030619000010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 167-191

Author(s):

Ann-Marie Szymanski

Keyword(s):

Child Abuse ◽

Interest Groups ◽

Progressive Era ◽

Child Protection ◽

Significant Problem ◽

Fragile Families ◽

Family Instability ◽

Problem Child ◽

Policy Communities

Abstract:Why did child abuse become a less significant problem after 1910? This article focuses on frame contestation, and how child-protection organizations gradually lost control of the narrative about fragile families to a competing set of groups—those that emphasized “family saving.” Like many interest groups, the SPCCs developed an “issue frame” in their efforts to publicize their mission, which sought to define a problem (child abuse), attribute blame for that situation (inadequate parents), propose a solution (the removal of children from parents), and encourage others to support their cause. After 1900, however, “family saving” groups identified a problem related to child abuse (fragile families), portrayed poverty as a cause of family instability, and supported policies that sought to preserve families. While advocating for policies that strengthened families, however, they undercut child protectors’ most crucial weapon against child abuse, namely, the removal of affected children from inadequate parents.

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