We posit that the negative developmental outcomes associated with single-parent families are a consequence of a double disadvantage where single-parents and their children experience high stress coupled with reduced access to social support. The elevated stress is hypothesized to be a consequence of the intense economic strain that characterizes many single parent households, while the diminished social support is considered to be a product of the social circumstances of single-parent families in contemporary society. Economic strain is seen as affecting single and two-parent families in a similar fashion (e.g., disrupted parenting, parental conflicts). Differences in developmental outcomes between the two types of families are viewed as a consequence of single- parent families being more likely to experience economic strain while having less access to social support when such stress is encountered. The proposed research involves a 2-wave prospective study of 200 female- headed families residing in North Central Iowa. Presently the investigators are in the early stages of a panel study of 450 two-parent families in this region. This sample will serve as a comparison group for the proposed study, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing costs. This study site was selected for two reasons: First, the limited economic and social opportunities that characterize rural communities suggest that rural single-parent families may be particularly vulnerable with regard to the central constructs in our model, viz., economic strain and social support. Secondly, research on single-parent families has largely ignored rural families. A multiple measurement methodology involving self, other, and trained observer reports will be used to assess study constructs. Structural equation modeling procedures (LISREL, EQS), as well as other appropriate multivariate techniques, will be used to determine relationships between constructs across the two waves of data collection.
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