This type of analysis is a simpler method than regression, and may be ample to answer the research question of whether there is increased risk for those in single parent families. It would also appear to be able to offer some insight as to whether there was a gender-based difference in substance abuse. This would however require confirmation using a one-tailed t-test between the mean for boys and girls from single parent families. The main drawback from this study's approach to the statistical analysis is that it does not allow for removal of confounding variables. This means that as there may be an association between single parent families and other socioeconomic variables, if there was an association between these and substance abuse then this may interfere with the results.
A further aspect which has not been considered in any of the three studies discussed is the reason behind the single parent status of the family. For example Biblarz and Gottainer (2004) found that adverse outcomes in terms of educational attainment may be more prevalent in families where the mother was divorced in contrast to those where she was widowed. It is possible that there may be similar effects observed across all adverse outcomes, although this is not clear from the three studies discussed.
Conclusion
Given the wealth of information available in the area, there would appear to be strong support that children raised in single parent families are at increased risk of a range of adverse outcomes. The fact that there are numerous different statistical methods and data sets used in these different studies lends further support to this hypothesis. In particular, there appear to be a significantly higher...
In particular, there also appear to be gender-based differences for most of these outcomes. It is important that these risks are accounted for when policy is made, as it may allow this group to be targeted by specific policies to lower the risk.
References
Biblarz, T.J. & Gottainer, G. (2004). Family structure and children's success: A comparison of widowed and divorced single-mother families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(2): 533-548.
Kuntsche, E.N. & Silbereisen, R.K. (2004). Parental closeness and adolescent substance use in single and two-parent families in Switzerland. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 63(2): 85-92.
O'Hare, B. (No date). The Rise - and fall? - of Single Parent Families. Retrieved on September 14, 2008, at http://www.prb.org/Articles/2001/TheRiseandFallofSingleParentFamilies.aspx.
Spencer, N. (2005). Does material disadvantage explain the increased risk of adverse health, educational, and behavioral outcomes among children in lone parent households in Britain? A cross sectional study. BMJ, 59: 152-157.
Taanila, a., Latinen, E., Moilanen, I. & Jarvelin, M.-R. (2004). Effects of family interaction on the child's behavior in single-parent or reconstructed families. Family Process, 41(4): 693-708.
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