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A Longitudinal Examination of Housing Hardships Among Urban Fathers
Author(s) -
Geller Amanda,
Curtis Marah A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/jomf.12492
Subject(s) - fragile families and child wellbeing study , longitudinal study , psychology , food insecurity , longitudinal data , cohabitation , demographic economics , developmental psychology , demography , geography , sociology , medicine , economics , archaeology , pathology , food security , agriculture
Stable housing is widely recognized as a prerequisite for the functioning of individuals and families. However, the housing stability of fathers is understudied, particularly for fathers living apart from their children. This analysis measures the extent and nature of fathers' housing insecurity using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national longitudinal survey of urban families. Housing insecurity affects a substantial portion of fathers, with 25% experiencing insecurity at least once in their child's first 9 years. However, few fathers report persistent insecurity that spans consecutive waves. Data also indicate significant differences in rates of housing insecurity between fathers living with, and apart from, the mothers of their children, with nonresident fathers far less likely to report secure housing and more likely to experience incarceration. The nature of insecurity experienced by nonresident fathers is also qualitatively different than that experienced by their coresident counterparts.