How Has Family Structure Changed?
Step-families and single-parent families are substantially more prevalent today than they were 40 years ago. Rates have expanded across race and income groups, but usually, different family structures are more dominant among African Americans and Hispanics. Twenty-two percent of African American children were living in a single-parent home in 1960. By 2001, the percentage had multiplied to 53 percent. For whites, the percentage had almost tripled, from 7 percent to 19 percent, over the same time. Around three out of ten Hispanic children lived with single-guardian families in 2001. In 1996, 17.2 million children under the age of 18 lived in Canada. A large majority of these children were living with two parents. One-quarter lived with a single parent, and less than 4 percent lived with other relatives and/or foster parents. Two thirds of children were living with two married, biological parents and less than 2 percent with two divorced/separated parents. Less than 7 percent lived with a step family. Twenty percent of children lived with a single mother, 2 percent lived with a single father, and roughly 3 percent lived in an “informal” step-family—that is, with a single parent and his/her partner. Family situations change frequently, which makes understanding the effects of family structure on children very intricate. Many children also live in more than one type of family during the course of their childhoods. For example, the majority of children in step-families have also lived in a single-parent family at one point or another. Family Structures and Their Influence Each family has a different family structure that makes them unique. …show more content…
Families are comprised of more than just single individuals. Each has their own goals, desires and aspirations. Families are – or should be – the origin of support and comfort, compassion and affection, conservation and security. However, modern day families are structured very differently than they used to be. Studies say that the family structure and family life of a child generate factors that directly influence their performance at school, their behaviour during school, and their life after school. Three different family structures will be looked at, and each will give us factual evidence and research to prove this true/false.
How Do Child Educational Outcomes Vary Among Types of Families?
Married, Biological Families Studies show that children from two married, biological parent families do better in school –academically and behaviour wise. Family structure is directly related to educational fulfillment. Children from intact families generally complete, on average, more years of school, and are also more likely to graduate from high school, attend college (or other forms of post-secondary education), and complete college compared to children raised in blended or single-parent families. It was also found that children that have been raised in married biological-parent families are less likely to display problematic behavior in school. They tend to have higher levels of academic achievement. Children living in intact families were found to be less likely to have ever been suspended or expelled from school, less likely to be involved in delinquent and illegal activities, less likely to have problems getting along with their teachers and peers, doing homework, and paying attention in school. They are