Family Facts: Social Science Research on Family, Society & Religion

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This finding looks at the before- and after-birth economic status of teenage mothers, married non-teenage mothers and single non-teenage mothers.

The economic status – as measured by the income-to-needs ratio and its derivative class statuses – in the year before and after a birth to single non-teenage (20 years or older) mothers was more similar to that of teenage mothers than that of their married non-teenage peers. Furthermore, among the three groups of mothers, single non-teenage mothers were the most likely to use welfare in the year before and after giving birth.

Sample or Data Description
Data come from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a nationally representative survey. Sample consisted of 2,613 births, between 1980 and 1990 (inclusive), to 1,615 women.

Source
"How are Older, Single Mothers Faring?"
Foster, E. Michael
Jones, Damon, Hoffman, Saul D.
Journal of Marriage and the Family Vol. 60, Number 1. February, 1998. Page(s) 163-174.

FindingID: 8039