How does family change affect development across the life course?
Over the last half century, U.S family structure has diversified due to changes in family processes. Several recent trends (e.g., the rise in divorce, single parenting, and non-marital childbearing) have negative consequences for development, behavior, and the availability of family support, while others (e.g., the decline in adolescent childbearing) are positive or neutral. PRI researchers are charting new territory by integrating developmental and demographic perspectives to address three topics: the causes of changes in family structure; the processes by which changes in the family influence well-being in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; and the impact of development in early life on later economic well-being, psychological adjustment, and intimate relationship quality.
