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Family Structures And Children’S Behavioral Problems: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis, Don Kerr, Joseph Michalski

PSC Discussion Papers Series

The current article analyzes 1994-2000 data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to examine the relevance of family structures to trajectories of parental reports on hyperactivity - inattention among elementary school aged children. A latent growth modelling approach is used to compare children living in intact families, lone-parent families, stepfamilies, and families where parents divorced or separated. The results highlight the apparent advantages to living in intact families and the slightly greater risks experienced by children living in stepfamilies. Children in lone-parent families, while experiencing an initial disadvantage, displayed a similar trajectory on hyperactivity to children …

Work And Family Life Trajectories Of Young Canadians: Evidence From The 2001 General Social Survey, Zenaida Ravanera, Rajulton Fernando

PSC Discussion Papers Series

From the 1980s, there has been a trend among young Canadians to delay their transition to adulthood. This is seen as an indicator of greater investment in career and work life (most often, with parental help) before investing in reproduction. However, there are concerns expressed particularly for women that those with smaller parental and personal resources follow a different life course trajectory. They become parents at younger ages and are more likely to experience family dissolution and lone parenthood.

The study uses Statistics Canada’s 2001 General Social Survey on Family History and focuses on men and women born from 1966 …

Social Status Polarization In The Timing And Trajectories To Motherhood, Zenaida R. Ravanera, Rajulton Fernando

PSC Discussion Papers Series

This paper examines the polarization by socio-economic status of Canadian women’s timing of and trajectories to motherhood. The study uses data gathered through the 2001 GSS on Family History and focuses on women born from 1922 to 1980. Women with high social status are more likely to delay their entry into motherhood and to follow trajectories that include graduation from post-secondary education. In contrast, women with low social status are more likely to follow shorter routes, often bypassing graduation from post-secondary education, regular work, or marriage, and consequently start motherhood at younger age.

Stress And Adult Health: Impact Of Time Spent In Paid And Unpaid Work, And Its Division In Families, Roderic Beaujot, Robert Anderson

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Based on a sample representative of the Canadian population aged 30-59, this paper assesses the impact of time spent on productive activities, and various types of activities, on stress and health. The main finding is that the number of hours spent is a better predictor of stress than is the type of activity. Moreover, the effects of paid and unpaid work are additive rather than multiplicative. That is, the more people work, regardless of what they are doing, the more likely they are to feel stressed. Still, working irregular hours and non-traditional family models are also associated with poorer health …

Probing The Future Of Mandatory Retirement In Canada, Don Kerr, Peter Ibbott, Roderic Beaujot

PSC Discussion Papers Series

The future of mandatory retirement is at least partly driven by the changing demographics. In Canada, these demographics include slowing population growth, rapid ageing, declining rates of labour force participation, and slowing growth of the labour force. After reviewing the demographic trends and considering alternate scenarios in labour force participation, we consider the determinants of early departures from the labour force, and suggest scenarios that might reverse these trends. With a decline in labour force entrants, delays in early life transitions and possible reductions in retirement benefits, a trend to retire later would bring mandatory retirement into question.

Bifurcation By Social Status In The Onset Of Fatherhood, Zenaida R. Ravanera, Rajulton Fernando

PSC Discussion Papers Series

Abstract not available

Social Assistance, Custody And Child Poverty: Cross-National Comparisons, Roderic Beaujot, Jianye Liu

PSC Discussion Papers Series

The prevalence of low income for children, especially for children in lone-parent families, varies considerably across countries. This paper considers five sets of hypotheses that may be relevant to the cross-national variability of child poverty. The tentative conclusion from this analysis in 20 countries is that reducing child poverty, and in lone-parent families in particular, requires several approaches. Provisions that would discourage teenage childbearing would have their importance, as would opportunities for lone mothers to work. More important is the generosity of social expenditure applying to individuals and especially to families. The present analysis also shows the advantages of encouraging …