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The Consumption, Income, and Well-Being of Single Mother Headed Families 25 Years After Welfare Reform

Author

Listed:
  • Jeehoon Han
  • Bruce D. Meyer
  • James X. Sullivan

Abstract

We investigate how material well-being has changed over time for single mother headed families—the primary group affected by welfare reform and other policy changes of the 1990s. We focus on consumption as well as other indicators including components of consumption, measures of housing quality, and health insurance coverage. The results provide strong evidence that the material circumstances of single mothers improved in the decades following welfare reform. The consumption of the most disadvantaged single mother headed families—those with low consumption or low education—rose noticeably over time and at a faster rate than for those in comparison groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeehoon Han & Bruce D. Meyer & James X. Sullivan, 2021. "The Consumption, Income, and Well-Being of Single Mother Headed Families 25 Years After Welfare Reform," NBER Working Papers 29188, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29188
    Note: CH EH LS PE
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    Cited by:

    1. Vaughn, Cody N., 2023. "Welfare reform and childhood health status and utilization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Lawrence Berger & Maria Cancian & Marcia J. Carlson & Daniel R. Meyer & Quentin Riser & Nora Cate Schaeffer, 2024. "Defining the ‘Resource Unit’ for Poverty Measurement in Complex Contemporary Households: It’s Complicated," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(2), pages 1-30, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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