Suchergebnisse

Are cohabiters different than married couples who cohabited before marriage? This study used the 2002 wave of the National Survey of Families and Households to determine how work behavior might differ for 4 relationship types: (a) cohabiters with uncertain marriage plans, (b) cohabiters with definite marriage plans, (c) premarital cohabiters who recently married, and (d) premarital cohabiters married 5 or more years (n =638). The results are compared with differences found in overall comparisons of all cohabiters and married couples (N =916) and were markedly different, indicating that overall comparisons do not adequately capture the range of behavior across cohabitation and marriage. Evidence of increased specialization was found in marriage, yet steep behavioral differences were not found between cohabiters with definite marriage plans and recently married couples but instead were associated with longevity in marriage. This implies that any possible causal effect of marriage on behavior may accrue with time spent married.

Welfare reform focuses attention on the potential of pay equity & living wage strategies to move women out of the ranks of the working poor. In this study, we use data from a large municipality in the Northeast to simulate implementation of the two policies & compare their relative effectiveness in raising the earnings of female- & minority-dominated jobs, narrowing gender- & race-based earnings differentials, & lifting workers out of poverty. Results show that pay equity raises salaries across-the-board, but especially among low-skilled & minority-dominated jobs, & closes the wage gap. Both pay equity & living wage dramatically reduce the incidence of poverty; living wage, however, leaves virtually untouched the type of discrimination targeted by pay equity & has little impact on the wage gap. The implications of these results for addressing the needs of women transitioning off public assistance & wage justice are discussed. We conclude that both policies should he an integral part of welfare reform efforts, as well as key planks in an overall wage justice strategy. Tables, Appendixes, References. Adapted from the source document. COPIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM: HAWORTH DOCUMENT DELIVERY CENTER, The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580

This study explores student loans, family support, and reciprocity during the transition out of college into adulthood. We examine experiences of family financial assistance and co-living among college students and graduates with loans, and whether support and reciprocity systematically differed by loan presence. We conducted four waves of qualitative interviews with college graduates with loans at two public universities, in their senior year and annually for three years after graduation ( N=24 participants, 72 interviews), and collected two rounds of survey data with undergraduates ( N=3251) and graduates 15 months after graduation ( N=176) from the same universities. Financial support from and living with family was common. Those with loans gave more money to family, even when they did not live with them. Interviews revealed that reciprocity, or expectations to help family in return for help received, could be burdensome. Findings indicate that receiving help may prolong—but also facilitate—the transition to adulthood.

Social norms and expectations regarding marriage or childbearing while in debt—or with an indebted partner—may explain links between student loans and lower family formation rates. This study analyzes an original survey of college students (N = 2,990) at two universities examining how student loans will, would, or should affect romantic relationship and family formation decisions. A significant minority believed marriage should be delayed and nearly half believed childbearing should be delayed when people have student loan debt. Many reported they would hesitate to marry someone with high student debt, their loans would delay family formation, and they would form families earlier if their debt were forgiven. Those with loan debt and higher debt were more willing to partner with those who had high student debt. Women were less likely to believe people should delay childbearing and marriage because of loans, but more hesitant to marry a partner with high student debt. Findings suggest social norms underlie childbearing and marriage delays among those with loans, and student loan debt creates a class divide among the highly educated.

Safety nets are typically invisible until tested, and the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to observe how undergraduates responded to the common challenge of campus closures. Using survey data from two public universities (N = 750), we investigated the factors associated with students' reports of moving to a parent's home as a result of the pandemic. Our findings indicate that students' material needs stemming from loss of housing (if on campus) or employment (if off campus) significantly affected but did not fully explain their housing decisions. Beyond these factors, older students and those living with a romantic partner, sibling, or extended family member were less likely to move in with a parent. These findings build on research documenting class-based differences by demonstrating the importance of life stage and other social ties. Moreover, they highlight how parent-child relationships evolve during the transition to adulthood, influencing decisions to seek support in times of crisis.