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Achievement and Behavior Among Children of Welfare Recipients, Welfare Leavers, and Low‐Income Single Mothers
Author(s) -
Hofferth Sandra L.,
Smith Julia,
McLoyd Vonnie C.,
Finkelstein Jonathan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/0022-4537.00194
Subject(s) - welfare , demographic economics , welfare reform , sample (material) , psychology , cash , single mothers , economics , educational attainment , developmental psychology , economic growth , chemistry , chromatography , market economy , macroeconomics
This article examines the behavior and achievement of children infemale‐headed families that were on welfare, that left welfare, and that were not on welfare in the3 years preceding the study. Data come from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement, a nationally representative sample of children under age 13 collected in 1997. The results suggest that there are both positive and negative outcomes of welfare transitions. Based upon our results, children whose mothers are able to leave and remain off welfare score consistently better on cognitive tests of their development. The transition period, however, is a difficult one. Children's emotional well‐being may suffer during the parental transition from cash assistance to self‐sufficiency.