The Selective Nature of Lone Parenthood: The Case of Ireland

Abstract

A large body of literature has documented a correlation between non-traditional family structure and poorer child outcomes, yet researchers continue to disagree as to whether the association represents a true causal effect. The life course perspective allows us to disentangle the mechanisms by which family structure matters. By employing propensity score matching and using data from the Growing up in Ireland child cohort study, this chapter documents the selective nature of lone-parenthood in Ireland. Growing up in a one-parent family has modest negative effects on children’s educational outcomes but the effects are smaller in relation to health outcomes and psychological wellbeing. Selection effects however account for a non-trivial proportion of the differences in child outcomes across family types. Marriage, it appears, is not the solution to child disadvantage. Instead, the results point to the important role of the mother’s socio-economic resources.