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Effects of Single Parenting On Children's Health Amenable to Policy Initiatives
- Edwin C. Holstein, M.D., M.S. (15 January 2003)
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Edwin C. Holstein, M.D., M.S., Physician Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Send letter to journal:
nedholst{at}aol.com Edwin C. Holstein, M.D., M.S.
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The data presented in "The Impact of Government Policies and Neighborhood Characteristics on Teenage Sexual Activity and Contraceptive Use"1 is of great interest, but the discussion overlooks important policy opportunities. The data shows that almost the strongest predictor of sexual activity by single teenage girls is "single-parent household," and the effect is highly significant statistically. The authors mistakenly imply that "single-parent household" is not amenable to policy interventions. On the contrary, research shows that policy decisions over the past 40 years have been central in creating so many single-parent households. The adoption of no-fault divorce in the 1970's was a major factor in creating single-parent households. Also, family court policies favoring sole custody over shared parenting increase both divorce and single- parenting. Brinig and Allen2 have shown that the strongest variable by far in the initiation of a divorce is the expectation of gaining sole custody of the children. Guidubaldi has shown that joint custody of children after divorce diminishes the divorce rate.3 Lamb and Kelly4, Bauserman5, Emery6 and others have shown that shared parenting after divorce diminishes the adverse developmental and social impacts on children, such as teenage sexual activity. Nevertheless, courts continue to order sole custody. It is also well known that current tax policy discourages marriage. Welfare policies have also promoted single-parenting. Welfare reform has led to a striking decrease in the rate of out-of-wedlock births among African-American families. Most pathologies of youth are considerably more prevalent in single- parent households, independent of income, including depression, suicide, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and teenage pregnancy7. The study by Averett and her colleagues1 adds to this body of literature, but fails to examine the policy implications of one of its strongest findings. If we continue to regard family breakdown as a phenomenon beyond our control, instead of a direct consequence of the policies our society has chosen, we will not solve some of our most important public health problems. References 1 Averett SL, Rees DI, Argys LM. The impact of government policies and neighborhood characteristics on teenage sexual activity and contraceptive use. Am J Public Health. 2002; 92: 1773-1778. 2 Brinig MF, Allen DW. "These boots are made for walking": Why most divorce filers are women. Am Law and Economics Review. 2000; 2(1): 126- 169. 3 Kuhn R, Guidubaldi J. Child custody policies and divorce rates in the United States. 1997. Available from JG at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. 4 Lamb M, Kelly J. Using child development research to make appropriate custody and access decisions for young children. Family and Conciliation Courts Review. 2000; 38: 297-311. 5 Bauserman R. Child adjustment in joint-custody versus sole-custody arrangements: a meta-analytic review. J of Family Psychology. 2002; 16(1). 6 Laumann-Billings L, Emery RE. Distress among young adults from divorced families. J of Family Psychology. 2000; 14: 671-687. 7 Wallerstein JS, Blakeslee S. Second Chances. Men, Women and Children a Decade After Divorce. 1989. Ticknor and Fields. New York. Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S. Dr. Holstein is Clinical Assistant Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, President of Environmental Health Associates, and President of Fathers and Families, Boston. |
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