The Divorce Process and Young Children's Well-Being: A Prospective Analysis

Abstract

We take a prospective approach to examine the consequences of marital disruption for children's behavior problems and academic achievement using NLSY Child Supplement data. The analysis begins with assessments of 1,123 children whose parents' marriages are intact in 1986. By 1988 children fall into either disrupted or intact groups and their behavior and achievement are reassessed. Results show that, even before predisruption characteristics are introduced in our models, there is little effect of marital dissolution on girls. We find that negative effects of family disruption on the behavior problems scores of boys are nor reduced when prior family characteristics are controlled. In addition, the effect of disruption on boys' behavior problems can be partially attributed to downward mobility following the disruption.