The Family Structure Trajectory and Adolescent School Performance

Abstract

The question of whether family structure consequences on school achievement are the same across racial and ethnic groups is examined using longitudinal data on 10,606 teens from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Based on life course theory, this article uses indicators of the family structure trajectory, such as family structure duration in adolescence and the number and timing of family changes, to predict self-reported grade point average (GPA) and to examine differences in effects among non-Hispanic White, Black, and Hispanic adolescents. Results show that the negative effects of time lived with a single mother and nonparents are reduced for Black and Hispanic adolescents, whereas having a recent family change leads to a larger drop in GPA for Blacks. Racial variation in stress, social support, and school functioning explain most race differences. For minority adolescents, negative consequences of family structure are largely attenuated by race-specific social supports and educational advantages.