Is “being there” enough? Father’s instrumental support and union dissolution among disadvantaged families

Nathan Robbins
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Nathan Robbins: Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany

No WP-2024-030, MPIDR Working Papers from Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany

Abstract: Objective: The objective of this paper is to explore the relationship between financial provision, instrumental support and union dissolution among low-income men – particularly whether men can compensate for lower income and employment levels through increased presence and availability in the home. Background: In recent years, disadvantaged fathers have expressed a determination to not only provide financially for their families, but to also “be there” for them, giving support in other instrumental ways. Little is known about the relationship between these two types of provision and the relationship they have in stabilizing or dissolving unions. Method: Using five waves (nine years) of data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Survey (FFCWS, n = 3239), I conduct discrete-time event-history analysis to assess the probability of union dissolution among cohabiting and married couples based in relation to levels of income, division of paid labor, and instrumental support. Results: Instrumental support is highly protective against union dissolution. Odds of union dissolution were 62% lower for those with high levels of instrumental support, with a stronger association seen among married couples than cohabiting couples. Conclusion: Results suggest that no level of instrumental support can completely compensate for lower incomes and employment levels among disadvantaged fathers: both financial and instrumental support are important.

Keywords: USA; dissolution of marriage; division of labor; end of union; father; household income (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47 pages
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2024-030

DOI: 10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2024-030

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