Psychology Commons^™

The Influence Of Family Structure And Transitions On Parenting, Income, Residential Mobility, And Substance Initiation In Early Adolescence: A Comparison Of Caucasian And African American Youth, Sally Mays

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of family structure on youth adjustment has received increasing attention as historical trends in single parenting, divorce, remarriage, and cohabitation with partners and extended family members have produced a diverse constellation of structures. African American youth are less likely than Caucasian youth to live in an “intact” family. Links between family structure and a variety of indices of youth adjustment have been established, although a relatively understudied outcome is that of substance initiation, despite its association with dependence and other negative sequelae. The dynamic effect of transitions has additionally been less studied than the static effect of structure. …