Family Structure and Children's Health and Well-Being: Data from the 1988 National Health Interview Survey on Child Health

Abstract

According to data from a nationally representative sample of 17,110 children under age 18, children living with single mothers or with mothers and stepfathers were more likely than those living with both biological parents to have repeated a grade of school, to have been expelled, to have been treated for emotional or behavioral problems in the year preceding interview, and to have elevated scores for behavioral problems and health vulnerability. Compared to children living with both biological parents, children of divorce experienced an increased risk of accidental injury, and those living with a single mother were at increased risk of asthma