IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/chinre/v17y2024i6d10.1007_s12187-024-10181-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Poverty and Disadvantage throughout Childhood in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Paul Hartley

    (Columbia University)

  • Lauren Toppenberg

    (Columbia University)

  • Shatakshee Dhongde

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

Abstract

We analyze measures of socioeconomic disadvantage over the course of childhood in the United States. Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we estimate the proportion of childhood spent in income poverty, low food spending, and multidimensional disadvantage from 1998 to 2018, as well as the degree to which these measures coincide. We also report associations between correlates of childhood disadvantage and early adulthood implications for health and education. On average, one-fifth of childhood is characterized by some socioeconomic disadvantage. 10% of all children spend at least half of their childhood in poverty, and the 10% most persistently disadvantaged Black children spend at least 85% of their childhood in poverty. Childhood disadvantage has strong negative associations with continuing education, both at the extensive and intensive margins of exposure, and a broader classification of childhood disadvantage is suggestive of negative health outcomes in early adulthood, as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Paul Hartley & Lauren Toppenberg & Shatakshee Dhongde, 2024. "Poverty and Disadvantage throughout Childhood in the United States," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(6), pages 2709-2737, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10181-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10181-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12187-024-10181-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s12187-024-10181-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert Paul Hartley & Carlos Lamarche & James P. Ziliak, 2022. "Welfare Reform and the Intergenerational Transmission of Dependence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 130(3), pages 523-565.
    2. Shatakshee Dhongde & Robert Haveman, 2017. "Multi-Dimensional Deprivation in the U.S," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 477-500, September.
    3. Moffitt, Robert A. & Ribar, David C., 2018. "Child age and gender differences in food security in a low-income U.S. inner-city population," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 23-41.
    4. Lee, Seungmin & Barrett, Christopher B. & Hoddinott, John F., 2021. "Food Security Dynamics in the United States, 2001-2017," Working Papers 316604, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    5. Matthew Lindquist & Gabriella Sjögren Lindquist, 2012. "The dynamics of child poverty in Sweden," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(4), pages 1423-1450, October.
    6. Mary Jo Bane & David T. Ellwood, 1986. "Slipping into and out of Poverty: The Dynamics of Spells," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 21(1), pages 1-23.
    7. Kimberlin, Sara & Shaefer, H. Luke & Kim, Jiyoon, 2016. "Measuring poverty using the Supplemental Poverty Measure in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1998 to 2010," Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, IOS Press, issue 1, pages 17-47.
    8. Greg J. Duncan & Ariel Kalil & Kathleen M. Ziol-Guest, 2018. "Parental Income and Children’s Life Course: Lessons from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 680(1), pages 82-96, November.
    9. Sophie Mitra & Debra L. Brucker, 2017. "Income Poverty and Multiple Deprivations in a High-Income Country: The Case of the United States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 98(1), pages 37-56, March.
    10. Lee, Seungmin & Barrett, Christopher B. & Hoddinott, John F., 2021. "Food Security Dynamics in the United States: Insights Using a New Measure," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315065, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Ian K. McDonough & Manan Roy & Punarjit Roychowdhury, 2020. "Exploring the dynamics of racial food security gaps in the United States," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 387-412, June.
    12. Shatakshee Dhongde & Robert Haveman, 2022. "Spatial and Temporal Trends in Multidimensional Poverty in the United States over the Last Decade," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 447-472, August.
    13. Irwin Garfinkel & Laurel Sariscsany & Elizabeth Ananat & Sophie M. Collyer & Robert Paul Hartley & Buyi Wang & Christopher Wimer, 2022. "The Benefits and Costs of a U.S. Child Allowance," NBER Working Papers 29854, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Amar Hamoudi & Jenna Nobles, 2014. "Do Daughters Really Cause Divorce? Stress, Pregnancy, and Family Composition," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(4), pages 1423-1449, August.
    15. Elena Falcettoni & Vegard Nygaard, 2021. "Acts of Congress and COVID-19: A Literature Review on the Impact of Increased Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Stimulus Checks," FEDS Notes 2021-02-24-2, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    16. Craig Gundersen & David Ribar, 2011. "Food Insecurity And Insufficiency At Low Levels Of Food Expenditures," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 57(4), pages 704-726, December.
    17. William Darity, 2005. "Stratification economics: The role of intergroup inequality," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 29(2), pages 144-153, June.
    18. Stephanie Riegg Cellini & Signe-Mary McKernan & Caroline Ratcliffe, 2008. "The dynamics of poverty in the United States: A review of data, methods, and findings," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 577-605.
    19. Stevens, Ann Huff, 1994. "The Dynamics of Poverty Spells: Updating Bane and Ellwood," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 34-37, May.
    20. Ann Huff Stevens, 1999. "Climbing out of Poverty, Falling Back in: Measuring the Persistence of Poverty Over Multiple Spells," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 34(3), pages 557-588.
    21. Christopher Wimer & Liana Fox & Irwin Garfinkel & Neeraj Kaushal & Jane Waldfogel, 2016. "Progress on Poverty? New Estimates of Historical Trends Using an Anchored Supplemental Poverty Measure," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(4), pages 1207-1218, August.
    22. Shatakshee Dhongde & Xiaoyu Dong, 2022. "Analyzing Racial and Ethnic Differences in the USA through the Lens of Multidimensional Poverty," Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, Springer, vol. 5(4), pages 252-266, December.
    23. Duncan, Greg J & Gustafsson, Bjorn & Hauser, Richard & Schmauss, Gunther & Messinger, Hans & Muffels, Ruud & Nolan, Brian, 1993. "Poverty Dynamics in Eight Countries," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 6(3), pages 215-234.
    24. Bhashkar Mazumder, 2018. "Intergenerational Mobility in the United States: What We Have Learned from the PSID," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 680(1), pages 213-234, November.
    25. Sophie Mitra & Debra Brucker, 2019. "Monitoring multidimensional poverty in the United States," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(2), pages 1272-1293.
    26. Hilary Hoynes & Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach & Douglas Almond, 2016. "Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(4), pages 903-934, April.
    27. Rune V. Lesner, 2018. "The long-term effect of childhood poverty," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 31(3), pages 969-1004, July.
    28. repec:wly:soecon:v:82:4:y:2016:p:1059-1061 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. Garfinkel, Irwin & Sariscsany, Laurel & Ananat, Elizabeth & Collyer, Sophie & Hartley, Robert P. & Wang, Buyi & Wimer, Christopher, 2022. "The Benefits and Costs of a Child Allowance," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 335-362, October.
    30. Ai-Thu Dang, 2014. "Amartya Sen's Capability Approach: A Framework for Well-Being Evaluation and Policy Analysis?," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 72(4), pages 460-484, October.
    31. Ai-Thu Dang, 2014. "Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach: A Framework for Well-Being Evaluation and Policy Analysis?," Post-Print halshs-01075997, HAL.
    32. John Iceland, 2019. "Racial and Ethnic Inequality in Poverty and Affluence, 1959–2015," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(5), pages 615-654, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elena Giarda & Gloria Moroni, 2018. "The Degree of Poverty Persistence and the Role of Regional Disparities in Italy in Comparison with France, Spain and the UK," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(1), pages 163-202, February.
    2. G. Bonanno & L. Chies & E. Podrecca, 2023. "The determinants of poverty exits and entries and the role of social benefits: the Italian case," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(3), pages 931-969, October.
    3. Andriopoulou, Eirini & Tsakloglou, Panagiotis, 2011. "The determinants of poverty transitions in Europe and the role of duration dependence," MPRA Paper 30659, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Matthew Lindquist & Gabriella Sjögren Lindquist, 2012. "The dynamics of child poverty in Sweden," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(4), pages 1423-1450, October.
    5. Philippe Kerm, 2002. "How much low income turnover is there in Belgium?," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 77(1), pages 341-363, December.
    6. Shatakshee Dhongde & Brian Glassman, 2023. "Multidimensional Hardships in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 883-905, October.
    7. Sung-Geun Kim, 2016. "What Have We Called as “Poverty”? A Multidimensional and Longitudinal Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 229-276, October.
    8. Giulia Bettin & Claudia Pigini & Alberto Zazzaro, 2023. "Lifting You up or Dragging You Down? The Role of Financial Inclusion in Poverty Transitions Among Italian Households," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(3), pages 606-639, September.
    9. Rolf Aaberge & Magne Mogstad, 2006. "On the Definition and Measurement of Chronic Poverty," ICER Working Papers 36-2006, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    10. Iryna Kyzyma, 2014. "Changes in the Patterns of Poverty Duration in Germany, 1992–2009," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(S2), pages 305-331, November.
    11. Nicardo S. McInnis & Katherine Michelmore & Natasha Pilkauskas, 2023. "The Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty and Public Assistance: Evidence from the Earned Income Tax Credit," NBER Working Papers 31429, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Olga Canto & Coral del Rio & Carlos Gradin, "undated". "What helps households with children in leaving poverty?: Evidence from Spain in contrast with other EU Counries," Studies on the Spanish Economy 137, FEDEA.
    13. Timothy M. Smeeding, 2018. "The PSID in Research and Policy," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 680(1), pages 29-47, November.
    14. Shatakshee Dhongde & Robert Haveman, 2022. "Spatial and Temporal Trends in Multidimensional Poverty in the United States over the Last Decade," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 447-472, August.
    15. Leanne Giordono & David W. Rothwell & Stephanie Grutzmacher & Mark Edwards, 2022. "Understanding SNAP use patterns among older adults," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), pages 609-634, June.
    16. Giulia Bettin & Claudia Pigini & Alberto Zazzaro, 2020. "Financial inclusion and poverty transitions: an empirical analysis for Italy," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 164, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    17. Weikard Hans-Peter, 2004. "Poverty Measurement Under Income Risk / Armutsmessung bei Einkommensrisiken," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 224(3), pages 337-350, June.
    18. Joaquín Prieto, 2021. "Poverty traps and affluence shields: Modelling the persistence of income position in Chile," Working Papers 576, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    19. KYZYMA Iryna, 2013. "Changes in the patterns of poverty duration in Germany, 1992-2009," LISER Working Paper Series 2013-06, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    20. Thomas, Anne-Claire & Gaspart, Frédéric, 2015. "Does Poverty Trap Rural Malagasy Households?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 490-505.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Poverty; Hardship; Multidimensional; Mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:17:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10181-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.