Developmental Psychology – Chapter 12 – The Family (pp.510-532)
Family Structure
Family structure – the number of and relatonship among the people living in a household
Changes in Family Structure in the United States
More Children live with Single or Unmarried Parents
2014: 46% vs. 1960: 73% decrease children living in frst marriage
2014: 26% vs. 1960: 9% increase children living with single parent
increase in number of births of unmarried women in 1980s (over 50% cohabitate
with father)
likelihood that a child in the United States will live with single parent is greater for
some racial/ethnic groups (Blacks (54%); Latnos (29%); Whites (19%); Asians (13%))
children of parents with college degrees are less likely to live with single parent (12%)
than children having parents only having a high school degree (41%)
41% of children living with single parents live below the federal poverty line vs. 14%
living with married parents
First-Time Parents are Older than in the Past
1970: 21 vs. 2014: 26 increase in average age for frst child
Advantages of having a child later:
o more educaton
o higher status-occupatons
o higher income
o more likely to have birth planned & have fewer children overall
o more fnancial resources & more positve in parentng
birth rate has declined
More Children Live with Grandparents
rates of children living with grandparents vary from race and ethnicity (Blacks: 14%;
Asians: 14%; Latnos: 12%; White-non-Hispanics: 7%)
since 1979 the percentage has doubled from 3-6%: now 2.7 million grandparents are
primary caregivers
households tend to be poorer
more difcult due to large gap between last children
difcult to maintain a social support network
children experience a range of emotonal and behavioral problems
Families Are Smaller
attributable to women delaying pregnancies due to careers and increased access in
birth control
1976: 40% vs. 2014: 14%: decrease in women having 4/more children
percentage of women having one child rose (11% to 22%)
percentage of women having two children rose (24% to 41%)
Family Structures are More Fluid
since 1970s: divorce rates relatvely stayed the same
, nearly 1/5th of all children experience change in family due to separatonn divorcen
remarriagen cohabitatonn parental death over a 3-year-period
the more changes in family structure the more problems a child can develop
Same-Sex Parents
number of gay and lesbian parents rose dramatcally in recent years
o 59% of children in such households are biologically related to one of their
parents
increase in acceptance of same-sex couples and parentng
these children are not diferent from children of heterosexual parents in personalityn
adjustmentn relatonships with peersn academic achievement & in their sexual
orientaton/involvement and the degree to which behavior is gender-typed
they show lower levels of stgmattaton & teasing
well-being also depends on sensitve parentng (infuenced by stress & support)
Divorced Parents
Mechanisms by Which Divorce Can Afect Children
divorce leads to changes in child´s life
o separaton of parents & living with only one (fnancial hardshipn tme
consuming)
o stress due to changes parentng is more irritable; less warmn availablen
consistent; less supervision of children
o can lead to disruptons in children’s routnes & social networks can afect
children mental health directly/indirectly
o exacerbaton of fnancial conficts
outcomes of divorce
o positve: high confict families divorce children better adjusted
(disrupton of confict)
o negatve: feelings of being caught-up in parental conficts high risk of
being depressed/anxious & for engaging in problematc behavior
Children´s Adjustment to Divorce
majority: likely to experience sadness & depression; has lower self-esteem; is less
socially responsible/competent; is prone to externaliting problem behaviors
as adults: at greater risk for divorcen poorer-quality intmate relatonshipsn lower self-
esteemn lower satsfacton with social supportn less likely to have completed high
school/college -> less income
diferences between intact families are small & refect poor parental psychological
functoning that has been present before the divorce
college students are less afected by divorce but are more negatvely afected by
remarriage of parents
quality of contact with noncustodial parent afects children´s adjustment afer
divorce
o contact with nonresidental fathers having antsocial traits predicts increase in
children´s noncompliance
Stepparents
simple stepfamilies: a new parent joins another parent & children
complex or blended stepfamilies: both add a new stepparent & stepsiblings
Family Structure
Family structure – the number of and relatonship among the people living in a household
Changes in Family Structure in the United States
More Children live with Single or Unmarried Parents
2014: 46% vs. 1960: 73% decrease children living in frst marriage
2014: 26% vs. 1960: 9% increase children living with single parent
increase in number of births of unmarried women in 1980s (over 50% cohabitate
with father)
likelihood that a child in the United States will live with single parent is greater for
some racial/ethnic groups (Blacks (54%); Latnos (29%); Whites (19%); Asians (13%))
children of parents with college degrees are less likely to live with single parent (12%)
than children having parents only having a high school degree (41%)
41% of children living with single parents live below the federal poverty line vs. 14%
living with married parents
First-Time Parents are Older than in the Past
1970: 21 vs. 2014: 26 increase in average age for frst child
Advantages of having a child later:
o more educaton
o higher status-occupatons
o higher income
o more likely to have birth planned & have fewer children overall
o more fnancial resources & more positve in parentng
birth rate has declined
More Children Live with Grandparents
rates of children living with grandparents vary from race and ethnicity (Blacks: 14%;
Asians: 14%; Latnos: 12%; White-non-Hispanics: 7%)
since 1979 the percentage has doubled from 3-6%: now 2.7 million grandparents are
primary caregivers
households tend to be poorer
more difcult due to large gap between last children
difcult to maintain a social support network
children experience a range of emotonal and behavioral problems
Families Are Smaller
attributable to women delaying pregnancies due to careers and increased access in
birth control
1976: 40% vs. 2014: 14%: decrease in women having 4/more children
percentage of women having one child rose (11% to 22%)
percentage of women having two children rose (24% to 41%)
Family Structures are More Fluid
since 1970s: divorce rates relatvely stayed the same
, nearly 1/5th of all children experience change in family due to separatonn divorcen
remarriagen cohabitatonn parental death over a 3-year-period
the more changes in family structure the more problems a child can develop
Same-Sex Parents
number of gay and lesbian parents rose dramatcally in recent years
o 59% of children in such households are biologically related to one of their
parents
increase in acceptance of same-sex couples and parentng
these children are not diferent from children of heterosexual parents in personalityn
adjustmentn relatonships with peersn academic achievement & in their sexual
orientaton/involvement and the degree to which behavior is gender-typed
they show lower levels of stgmattaton & teasing
well-being also depends on sensitve parentng (infuenced by stress & support)
Divorced Parents
Mechanisms by Which Divorce Can Afect Children
divorce leads to changes in child´s life
o separaton of parents & living with only one (fnancial hardshipn tme
consuming)
o stress due to changes parentng is more irritable; less warmn availablen
consistent; less supervision of children
o can lead to disruptons in children’s routnes & social networks can afect
children mental health directly/indirectly
o exacerbaton of fnancial conficts
outcomes of divorce
o positve: high confict families divorce children better adjusted
(disrupton of confict)
o negatve: feelings of being caught-up in parental conficts high risk of
being depressed/anxious & for engaging in problematc behavior
Children´s Adjustment to Divorce
majority: likely to experience sadness & depression; has lower self-esteem; is less
socially responsible/competent; is prone to externaliting problem behaviors
as adults: at greater risk for divorcen poorer-quality intmate relatonshipsn lower self-
esteemn lower satsfacton with social supportn less likely to have completed high
school/college -> less income
diferences between intact families are small & refect poor parental psychological
functoning that has been present before the divorce
college students are less afected by divorce but are more negatvely afected by
remarriage of parents
quality of contact with noncustodial parent afects children´s adjustment afer
divorce
o contact with nonresidental fathers having antsocial traits predicts increase in
children´s noncompliance
Stepparents
simple stepfamilies: a new parent joins another parent & children
complex or blended stepfamilies: both add a new stepparent & stepsiblings
