Family instability from Birth to Adolescence: Evidence from a Birth Cohort Study

Family structure instability is associated with a host of negative outcomes for children, but there is limited knowledge of the prevalence of this instability in recent cohorts. Objectives/Methods: This research note draws on six waves of data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to provide national estimates of children’s exposure to family structure instability (both moves in and out) for a cohort born in large US cities at the turn of the 21st century. Results: We find that by age 15, the average child in this cohort experienced about one and a half co-residential changes in family structure. The number of transitions differs by parents’ relationship status and mothers’ education at birth. Children born to married parents experienced the fewest transitions (0.89) while children born to single mothers experienced the greatest number of transitions (average of 3.00). Additionally, children whose mothers had completed college prior to the child’s birth experienced fewer transitions than children whose mothers had less education. Contribution: We extend existing literature by examining cumulative instability (and subgroup differences) through age 15, an important developmental period.