The long-reach of nonresident fathers' financial support on children's skills in fragile families : Parental investments, family processes, and children's language skills
Publication Year
2018
Abstract
Using a sample of 692 children in mother-headed families drawn from the FFCWS, we examined
the direct and indirect associations between nonresident fathers' financial support during early
childhood and children's cognitive, behavioral, and achievement outcomes at ages 5 and 9 through
parental investments, family processes, and children's skills at age 3. We found significant direct
effects of fathers' financial support: measured continuously on children's math and reading scores
at age 9 and above the median on reading achievement at age 9. Financial support well-above the
median was also significantly associated with math achievement at age 9 and both aggressive
behavior and receptive vocabulary at age 5. Children's language skills mediated the associations
between financial support, measured continuously and provided through a formal order/agreement
and math and reading achievement at age 9 and the association between financial support above the
median and reading achievement at age 9. Most associations were small.
Call Number
WP18-07-FF