Sociology Publications
Family Structure and Children's Hyperactivity Problems: A Longitudinal Analysis
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Winter 2007
Volume
32
Issue
1
Journal
Canadian Journal of Sociology
First Page
85
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1353/cjs.2007.0009
Last Page
112
Abstract
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. We use a latent growth modelling approach 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 in intact families over the 1994–2000 period. With regard to the children of divorce, the current study finds little evidence of a pre-disruption effect, as the children whose parents divorce or separate over 1994–2000 appear initially no worse off than children whose parents stay together.
