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Does Receiving An Earnings Supplement Affect Union Formation?: Estimating Effects For Program Participants Using Propensity Score Matching, Kristen Harknett
Does Receiving An Earnings Supplement Affect Union Formation?: Estimating Effects For Program Participants Using Propensity Score Matching, Kristen Harknett
Kristen Harknett
This paper demonstrates a novel application of propensity score matching techniques: to estimate nonexperimental impacts on program participants within the context of an experimental research design. I examine the relationship between program participation, defined as qualifying for an earnings supplement by working full time, and marital union formation among low-income mothers in two Canadian provinces. I find that receipt of an earnings supplement substantially increased union formation in one province but not the other. A subgroup analysis based on propensities of program participation revealed that the positive effect on unions was concentrated among relatively disadvantaged participants. The techniques demonstrated in …
The Relationship Between Private Safety Nets And Economic Outcomes Among Single Mothers, Kristen Harknett
The Relationship Between Private Safety Nets And Economic Outcomes Among Single Mothers, Kristen Harknett
Kristen Harknett
This article examines the relationship between private safety nets and economic outcomes among 2,818 low-income single mothers in three U.S. counties in the 1990s. I define private safety nets as the potential to draw upon family and friends for material or emotional support if needed. Using a combination of survey and administrative records data collected for the National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies, I find that human capital deficits, depressive symptoms, and low self-efficacy are associated with having less private safety net support, suggesting that social network disadvantages compound individual-level disadvantages. I also find that mothers with strong private safety nets …