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Social Indicators Research

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01-07-2008

Children Living Without Their Fathers: Population Estimates and Indicators of Educational Well-being

Author: Matthew DeBell

Published in: Social Indicators Research | Issue 3/2008

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This paper estimates the number of American children in grades K–12 who live without their biological fathers and examines the association of absent-father status with children’s well-being. The 2003 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (n = 12,426) shows that 28% percent of White students, 39% of Hispanic students, 69% of Black students, and 36% overall live without their fathers. In bivariate comparisons, absent-father status is associated with reduced well-being: worse health, lower academic achievement, worse educational experiences, and less parental involvement in school activities. When socio-economic factors are controlled, father-absence is associated with small deficits of well-being. The findings suggest that the conventional wisdom may exaggerate the detrimental effects of father absence.

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Title: Children Living Without Their Fathers: Population Estimates and Indicators of Educational Well-being
Author: Matthew DeBell
Publication date: 01-07-2008
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Social Indicators Research / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0303-8300
Electronic ISSN: 1573-0921
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-007-9149-8

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