The Well-Being of Children Living with Ethnically Heterogamous Parents
Open Access
Author:
Pearce-Morris, Jennifer
Graduate Program:
Sociology
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
None
Committee Members:
Valarie Elizabeth King, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Valarie Elizabeth King, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
interracial child well-being interethnic
Abstract:
The percentage of children living with parents of differing ethnicities has risen considerably within recent few decades. Using data from the first wave (1987-1988) of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), this study examines whether children with interethnic parents differ from children with same ethnic parents on four measures of well-being. Findings indicate only limited evidence that children with interethnic parents are worse off than children with same ethnic parents. Of the four child outcome measures, interethnic status had a significant effect on negative affect only, with children from interethnic households having higher levels of negative affect than children from same ethnic households. Measures of marital tensions and parenting quality do not appear to mediate the relationship between parents’ interethnic status and negative affect for the child.
