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Conceptual family type and family stress model. (Adapted from the Family Stress Model by Conger et al. 1990)
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Aim
The aim of this paper is to identify predictors of financial strain and to clarify the importance of family type and income, as well as the effects of financial strain, on child wellbeing. We consider family structure by looking at nuclear families, stepfamilies and single-parent families. We also examine family complexity by considering the st...
Citations
... These, in turn, unfold subsequently and can magnify the detrimental effect of separation on well-being (Avison et al., 2007). For example, lone mothers face a higher poverty risk as single earners and have more fragmented work histories due to issues related to work-family reconciliation as sole caregivers as well (e.g., Chzhen & Bradshaw, 2012;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020;Millar & Ridge, 2009). This can have detrimental effects on their mental and physical well-being compared to partnered mothers (e.g., Burstrom et al., 2010;Kühn, 2018;Pollmann-Schult, 2018;Wickrama et al., 2006). ...
... A descriptive overview of the sample composition and key study variables is displayed in Table 1. Descriptive differences in the household composition and economic situation of lone and partnered mothers were in line with previous studies (e.g., Bernardi et al., 2018;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020). For instance, lone mothers tended to have older and fewer children in their households. ...
... In our second hypothesis, we expected lone compared to partnered mothers to experience a larger decrease in maternal well-being during the pandemic because of pre-existing disparities between these groups related to the stress and strain associated with union dissolution in addition to the disruptions caused by the pandemic (e.g., Amato, 2010;Avison et al., 2007;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020). Other studies showed that rates of psychological distress and mental illness did increase among lone mothers during the pandemic (Li et al., 2021;Mata et al., 2021;Taylor et al., 2022). ...
Objective: Our study aims to examine whether and how pre-pandemic conditions shaped change in well-being among partnered and lone mothers in Germany.
Background: The lives and daily routines of parents changed dramatically because of the pandemic, which affected their mental health. Particularly mothers reported increased psychological distress during the pandemic, which is likely related to the higher load of care responsibilities mothers shouldered to compensate for pandemic-related childcare and school closures. Yet mixed findings emerged on the pandemic’s impact on lone mothers, who were already suffering from poorer mental health compared to partnered mothers.
Method: We use longitudinal data from a probability sample surveyed before and during the pandemic to examine changes in maternal well-being (i.e., subjective psychological well-being and general life satisfaction), and differences between lone and partnered mothers in Germany (N = 3,578; 14.3% lone mothers at baseline).
Results: Socioeconomic status was positively associated with changes in maternal well-being, but no difference emerged between lone and partnered mothers. Although levels of pre-pandemic social support and parenting stress did not affect changes in maternal well-being among partnered mothers, these factors were associated with a less pronounced decline in maternal well-being among lone mothers.
Conclusion: The lack of differences between lone and partnered mothers could be due to implemented institutional safety nets for lone mothers, and increased relationship strain for partnered mothers, during the pandemic.
... These findings are in line with our hypotheses and the results of previous studies showing that children from single-parent families are a particularly vulnerable population [39], possibly due to various factors, including financial strain, parental stress, and inadequate parenting resources [19,25]. The study's finding that children from stepfamilies also had higher levels of behavioral difficulties compared to those from traditional families may be explained by the challenges associated with blending families [40,41]. It is possible that the absence of one parent or the presence of a stepparent may create a more challenging family environment, leading to increased stress and emotional difficulties for children [42]. ...
The changing landscape of family structures over the last decades has led to a growing need to investigate its impact on children's well-being. This study examined differences in mental health among children from different family compositions and how these differences may be affected by familial socioeconomic status (SES). Data were collected within the LIFE Child study. Participants included 2828 children aged 3–17 years raised in traditional families, stepfamilies, or single-parent families. Mental health was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ (behavioral strengths and difficulties)) and the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire (quality of life). Linear regression analyses were applied to examine associations between family structure, SES, and mental health outcomes. Children from single-parent families exhibited worse mental health outcomes than those from traditional families across all domains of the SDQ and the KIDSCREEN-27. Children from stepfamilies showed significantly higher Total Difficulties scores (B = 1.29 and 1.42), with 3- to 10-year-olds displaying higher scores in the Hyperactivity & Inattention (B = 0.61) and Peer Relationship Problems (B = 0.36) subscales, and 11- to 17-year-olds showing higher Conduct Problems (B = 0.31), Emotional Symptoms (B = 0.58), and a worse Parent Relationship scores (B = − 1.82) than children from traditional families (all p < 0.05). After controlling for SES, several associations between family structure and mental health lost significance, while others persisted, particularly among older children. To promote mental health in non-traditional families, interventions should address socioeconomic disparities while also investigating factors contributing to the direct impact of family structure on mental well-being.
Trial registration The LIFE Child study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT02550236).
... 1]. Hinsichtlich der Frage nach Vor-und Nachteilen für das Aufwachsen von Kindern weisen sie etwa beim kindlichen Wohlbefinden Ähnlichkeiten zu Alleinerziehenden auf, während sie grundsätzlich, wie Kernfamilien, weniger sozioökonomisch belastet sind als Alleinerziehende [5,6]. ...
Lux U, Entleitner-Phleps C, Langmeyer A N et al. Belastungslagen von Alleinerziehenden-, Stief- und Kernfamilien Inanspruchnahme von Unterstützungsangeboten. Befunde aus zwei repräsentativen deutschen Studien. Das Gesundheitswesen 2023; 85(11): 975–981. doi:10.1055/a-2106–9582
Im oben genannten Artikel wurde ein Wort im Titel vergessen. Richtig ist: Belastungslagen von Alleinerziehenden-, Stief- und Kernfamilien und Inanspruchnahme von Unterstützungsangeboten. Befunde aus zwei repräsentativen deutschen Studien.
... The negative effects of parental separation on child well-being have been found in other countries as well (Amato, 2014). A number of studies that focused on the German context found small, but non-negligible effects of living in a post-separation family: namely, that these children have more emotional and behavioral problems than children who live with their two biological parents (Entleitner-Phleps & Walper, 2020;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020;Walper & Wendt, 2005). However, most of these German studies were based on cross-sectional data (Feldhaus, 2016). ...
A considerable body of literature takes a deficit perspective and shows that children who experience a parental separation have more disadvantages than children who live in a two-biological-parent family. This article argues that not all children respond identically to their parents’ separation, and examines whether there are heterogeneous effects based on parent-child relationship quality. We expect that having a good relationship with the resident parent can buffer the potentially negative effects of parental separation on a child’s well-being. Using longitudinal data from waves 2 to 13 (2009/2010 – 2020/2021) of the German Family Panel pairfam, we estimate fixed-effects models based on a sample of 2,057 children aged 7 to 15, 99 of whom experienced the separation of their parents. We find that children who had a high level of conflict with the resident parent had significantly more emotional problems after parental separation, whereas children who had few conflicts with the resident parent had significantly fewer emotional problems after separation. Similarly, we find that only children in a parent-child dyad with a low level of intimate disclosure had more behavioral problems after parental separation than before.
... Our results also suggested that fathers from relatively affluent families were less likely to experience work-family conflicts, whereas fathers of families in the lowest income bracket were especially likely to experience strong work-to-family conflict or feel trapped between pressures from both domains, even when other demands and resources were controlled for. The association between family income and perceived work-family conflicts is not surprising given the ample evidence for the Family Stress Model, which explains how economic hardship can be a generic stressor beyond its direct implications on work and family demands and resources (Conger et al., 2010;Hammen, 2005;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019;Santiago et al., 2011). Family financial stress might be particularly difficult to cope for fathers who see themselves as the family provider. ...
Objective: This study investigated how work and family demands and resources relate to fathers’ perceived work-family conflicts. Background: Increasing expectations for family involvement and the lingering centrality of employment in the male life course pose challenges for fathers to combine different life domains. However, most studies on work-family interface continue to focus on mothers and examine work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflicts separately. Method: First, we used cluster analysis to identify a typology of four groups, each with different manifestations of work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. We then analyzed the relationship between fathers’ group membership in this typology and a number of relevant work and family demands and resources using multinomial logistic regression on a sample of 5,226 German nuclear families with at least one child under 18. Results: Our findings revealed that the greatest proportion of fathers (38.2%) reported being primarily pressured from work (=work-to-family conflict predominates), 19.8% primarily from the family (=family-to-work conflict predominates), but another 13.4% reported feeling conflicted in both directions; only 28.6% of fathers reported being more or less free of conflicts. Results of multinominal logistic regression suggested that long work hours, intrusive work demands, and long commute associated with fathers’ work-to-family conflict or dual conflicts. The higher the fathers’ weekday time investment in childcare and the better the perceived couple and family relationship, the lower the likelihood of fathers’ experience of work-to-family and dual conflict, although the likelihood of family-to-work conflict is unaffected. In addition, a higher family income and having a non-working partner negatively associated with fathers’ perceived work-family conflicts. Conclusion: These findings have strong implications for family-supportive practices and policies that are yet to focus on fathers in their difficult position between work and family obligations.
... Children in single-parent households and Stepchildren are more likely to engage in problem behavior than children in nuclear families, and single-parent and stepfamily households are more likely to be impoverished. 12 A resilient family can deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences better. Promoting and preventing family resilience should be prioritized by optimizing the factors influencing it. ...
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted people's lives. Families are affected in many ways, including daily life, the economy, social life, and health. Families who have resilience can face the COVID-19 pandemic situation. This study aims to determine the factors related to family resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic, including Family income, education, family type, family relations, and social support. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study conducted on 403 respondents using purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria include Husband or wife (with or without children) who live together, ages 18-65 years, in Jakarta and Tangerang. Data collection using an online questionnaire consisted of demographic data, the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (FRAS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The questionnaire has passed the validity and reliability test. The Ethics Board of the Mochtar Riady Institute of Nanotechnology (MRIN) provided ethical approval. Results: Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression test showed that factors related to family resilience were income (p-value: 0.028, OR: 3.08) and social support (p-value: 0.001, OR: 7.16). Social support is the dominant variable related to family resilience. An increase in social support increases the likelihood of family resilience by 7.16 times. Furthermore, an increase in family income has a 3.08 times greater chance of increasing family resilience. Conclusion: Families and the government can collaborate to improve family resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic by optimizing social support and family income.
... Previous studies have shown an increased risk of under-vaccination among children raised by single mothers [34]. One-parent families usually have economic distress, directly affecting their children's health [35]. However, our study found that cohabiting or married women were less likely to complete their children's vaccination scheme than single mothers. ...
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 90% coverage of diphtheria three-dose complete vaccination scheme (DPT) as part of routine immunization programs in children. However, diphtheria coverage in Peru has not reached the minimum recommended during the last decades. Our study aimed to determine the complete three-dose DPT coverage and factors associated with compliance towards complete vaccination in Peru between 2010-2019. We conducted a secondary cross-sectional study using the “Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar (ENDES)”- Demographic and Family Health Survey, which is a survey that targets mothers between 15 and 49 years of age. DPT vaccination coverage was 72.4% and several factors were associated with the DPT scheme completion. Women in the age groups 18 to 24 (ORa = 2.31, 95%CI: 2.11–2.52), 25 to 34 (ORa = 3.37, 95% CI: 3.08–3.69), and 35 to 49 (ORa = 4.74, 95% CI: 4.29–5.22) were more likely to complete their children's DPT vaccination scheme compared to those between 15 to 17 years of age. Both Spanish (ORa = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.31–1.48) and Quechua (ORa = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.25–1.43) as first spoken language were associated with DPT completion compared to native language speaking mothers. Women who worked (ORa = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.57–1.88), studied (ORa = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.33–1.62), or were housewives (ORa = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.29–1.54) during the previous week were more likely to complete their children's DPT scheme compared to participants that did not work during the previous week. Women with the financial capability to access health care were less likely to complete the DPT scheme (ORa = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92–0.97). Considering the accessibility to health care centers, women who knew the nearest location (ORa = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.03–1.11), had geographic accessibility (ORa = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.13) or a current transport (ORa = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.09) were more likely to complete their children ‘s DPT scheme. Our results highlight low diphtheria vaccine coverage levels in Peru, with values lower than what is recommended by the WHO. Results may serve as a baseline for future studies to improve vaccination programs, reduce barriers and increase DPT coverage in Peru.
... Similar disadvantages have been observed for children who live with a parent who has repartnered (Brown, 2006;Gennetian, 2005;Ginther & Pollak, 2004;King, 2009). It has also been shown that these negative effects often persist into adulthood (Amato, 2014;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019). Given that families with lower socioeconomic status are at increased risk of experiencing a change in structure or having an alternative structure (Conger et al., 2010;Raley & Sweeney, 2020), the negative effects of such family transitions appear to play a role in the intergenerational reproduction of social inequality (Raley & Sweeney, 2020). ...
... The literature has emphasized that one-parent families tend to have fewer economic and time resources than two-biological-parent families (McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994). Thus, one-parent families face an increased risk of poverty (Brown, 2004;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019), which is closely linked to a decline in child well-being (McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994). In addition, a single parent must take on the role of the breadwinner (Thomson et al., 1994), as well as the roles of both parents at home (Bastaits & Mortelmans, 2016;Cherlin, 1992). ...
Objective: The paper examines the effects of parental repartnering (including residential and nonresidential partnerships) on children’s well-being. Background: An increasing number of children experience the repartnering of their parents. While previous research has focused on coresidential repartnering, this paper also considers the transition to a steady nonresidential (living apart together – LAT) partnership of formerly single parents. Specifically, the paper examines whether these transitions differ in their effect on children. Method: This study uses data from the German Family Panel (pairfam) to analyze the effects of parental repartnering on children’s emotional and behavioral well-being. The children in the sample were seven to 16 years old. Individual fixed effects regressions were estimated for two types of parental partnership transitions: the formation of a LAT partnership and the formation of a coresidential partnership. Results: The results show that children's emotional symptoms increased in response to both parental LAT repartnering and coresidential repartnering, whereas children’s conduct problems increased only in response to parental coresidential repartnering. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the formation of a nonresidential partnership by a parent can affect children's emotional well-being, and thus should be considered when analyzing post-separation family development.
... Our study identifies and illustrates the importance of government and regulators' holistic approach to financial well-being (Mahdzan et al., 2019). We also find the importance of cultivating a culture of greater financial satisfaction among households, regulators need to concentrate not just on income, but also on family subjective financial well-being (Heintz- Martin & Langmeyer, 2020). ...
... • Financial well-being is a feature of co-production that is affected by competence (objective and subjective financial literacy) and relatedness (attachment style) (Mende & van Doorn, 2015)The absence/presence of the credit card cue is influenced by a credit card association calculated in terms of payment sensitivity, cost and debt behavior. (Wong & Lynn, 2020).Financial stress, financial knowledge, financial behavior, locus of control determines the household's subjective financial well-being (Mahdzan et al., 2019).Economic strain influences child's well-being through personal strains, such as family complexity, type of child, the biological child in a single-parent family, stepchild, the common child in the blended family, etc.) (Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020).Objective, subjective, and reference point measures are significant in measuring financial well-being (Porter & Garman, 1992) 2021). To achieve a better understanding, this study used an integrative approach, using bibliometric review as well as manual insightful review ( Fig. 1). ...
... Lastly, the single cluster in purple represents poverty. The term poverty along with its sub-themes namely quality of life, depression, care, consumption, and anxiety (Draughn et al., 1994;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2020;Parish & Cloud, 2006), is present in the motor themes quadrant (low on centrality and highest on density with a score of 217.80), and it is clearly visible from both the Figs. 7 and 8, that it is not explored in relation to the other external themes, calling out for future researchers to explore the theme poverty from the context of financial well-being. ...
... In addition to the sizable share of overindebted individuals, an increasing number of families with and without young children report having debt due to mortgages, credit cards, or consumer debt (Berger et al., 2016). Prior research documented the broader link between families' financial strain, the quality of relationships within families, as well as child and parental well-being without focusing on debt per se (Conger & Conger, 2002;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019;Lopoo & DeLeire, 2014;Nomaguchi & Milkie, 2020;Stack & Meredith, 2018). Yet research on the distribution of household debt across families, as well as how the accumulation of household debt affects individual family members and families as a whole, remains sparse (Dwyer et al., 2011;Mascher & Damberger, 2012;Sweet et al., 2013). ...
... Short-term debt is often made in order to pay for daily goods, smaller consumer goods, sudden, more pricey purchase, which tend to be more common in lowerincome and financially-strained households (Pfeiffer et al., 2016). The degree to which families are affected by financial strain has shown to vary considerably by family structure (e.g., Bernardi & Mortelmans, 2018;Brady & Burroway, 2012;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019) through at least two mechanisms (Umberson & Thomeer, 2020). First, and due to social selection into marriage, healthier and wealthier individuals are more likely to marry and to remain married. ...
... Even though two-parent families are less likely to experience financial strain compared to post-separation families (Chzhen & Bradshaw, 2012;Dziak et al., 2010), it could also be the case, that when affected by it, couples in twoparent families might cope differently with financial strain. Due to the complex structure and larger size of stepfamilies, more family members are involved in decisions concerning financial issues and they may need more disposable income to cover their basic needs and additional expenses (e.g., child support payments; Coleman et al., 2001;Heintz-Martin & Langmeyer, 2019;Malone et al., 2010;Stewart, 2001). For single parents, who already suffer from large penalties in life satisfaction, mental and physical health compared to twoparent families (Dziak et al., 2010;Hurst, 2011), particularly in less generous welfare states (Burstrom et al., 2010;Pollmann-Schult, 2018), dealing with financial strain may have even more adverse effects on their well-being (Stack & Meredith, 2018) and the quality of the parent-child relationship (Waylen & Stewart-Brown, 2010). ...
The amount of household debt tripled globally over the last decades and a sizable share of individuals and families are overindebted due to mortgages, credit cards, or consumer debt. Yet research on the distribution of debt across families, and potential ripple effects of the psychological burden related to debt on well-being and family relations, remains sparse. Our study aims to fill these gaps by examining the socio-demographic profiles of families that have accumulated household debt and the unique role that the psychological burden related to debt plays on associations between mothers’ well-being, parental dynamics, and child adjustment based on the Family Stress Model (FSM). We used representative survey data collected in 2019 from Germany (N = 3271), which is one of the richest economies worldwide, yet about 10% of adults reported to be overindebted. Logistic regression results showed that single mothers were less likely to have debt compared to mothers in two-parent families. However, both single mothers and mothers in stepfamilies with high levels of perceived economic strain were particularly likely to report having debt. Structural equation modeling yielded that the links between the psychological burden of debt, maternal well-being, parental dynamics, and child adjustment were largely in line with the FSM, except for single mothers. We conclude that persisting financial disparities by family structure may be partially fostered by unique characteristics of the German welfare state, such as promoting more a traditional two-parent norm, and discuss our findings in light of practical implications.
