Duration in Parental Structures and High School Graduation

Abstract

This article extends research on the effects of living in nonintact family types during childhood and adolescence on high school graduation. Data from the National Survey of Families and Households show that not only do years spent in mother-only families have a negative effect on high school graduation but so do years spent in mother-stepfather and father-stepmother families. In addition, living only with grandparents or other relatives has a negative effect as does living on own. These effects are additive so that the more years spent in nonintact families, the lower the chances of graduating high school. The research also shows that the effects of years spent in nonintact families do not vary much by family type at birth, age at experience, gender, or year of birth. However, years in mother-stepfather families were negative for whites but not for blacks.