Challenges in Predicting Child Outcomes from Different Family Structures1

Abstract

Abstract Many studies purport to reveal the effects of family structure upon child outcomes. Important limitations in such research are discussed. First, many studies rely on current family structure, which overlooks the past environment to which a child was exposed. Therefore, little can be said about the “dose” of family structure(s) received by the child or how such exposures might have occurred at important developmental turning points in the child's life. Studies involving heterosexual and/or same-sex (LGBT) parent families often must deal with such limitations, and so are a good model for assessing how duration of exposure to different types of family structures and the child's developmental situation(s) during such exposures might affect outcomes. Literature examples are discussed, and one study is assessed in detail to demonstrate that in some cases, more information about how long a child spent in different family structures can be found through careful statistical detective work.