Measuring Family Relationships in the Fragile Families Study

Marcy CarlsonColumbia University

July 16, 2004Fragile Families Summer Data Workshop

Baseline M-F Relationship Status• History:

– How long knew each other before got pregnant

– Why did romantic rel. end (if broken up)

• Current relationship status – Married (yes/no)

– Cohabiting (yes/no)

– Type (steady romantic; on & off; just friends; hardly talk; never talk)

• Chances of marriage to baby’s father (none, a little, 50-50, pretty good, almost certain)

• Chances of ever marrying someone (same as above)

Baseline M-F Relationship Quality• Supportiveness (often, sometimes, never)

– Fair & willing to compromise– Shows affection/love – Insults/criticizes– Encourages/helps

• Conflict (often, sometimes, never)– Money, spending time, sex, the pregnancy,

drinking/drugs, being faithful

• Companionship (did in last month)– Visited w/ friends, went out, ate out, helped solve

problem

1 Year M-F Relationship Status• History:

– Relationship type when child born (married, rom., sep/div., just friends, not in any)

– Cohabiting when child born (all/most, some, rarely, never)

– Dates: marriage, cohab, sep/divorce, end of rel.– Why did relationship end

• Current relationship status – Type (married, rom., sep/div., just friends, not in any) – Cohabiting (all/most, some, rarely, never)– Not all/most: # of nights, how often see/talk (18

cities)

1 Year M-F Relationship Quality• Supportiveness (often, sometimes, never)

– Fair & willing to compromise– Expresses affection/love – Insults/criticizes– Encourages/helps– Listens when need someone to talk to– Really understands your hurts & joys

• Argue (always, often, sometimes, rarely, never)• Overall quality (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)• Controlling behavior

– Tries to keep from seeing friends/family– Tries to prevent from going to work/school– Withholds money

1 Year M-F Relationship Quality

• Questions asked about mother and biological father (regardless of residential status)

• Questions asked about residential new partners

Baseline Father Involvement• Mom report:

– Gave money– Helped in another way– Visited in hospital– Name on birth certificate– Baby will have surname– Dad says wants to be involved

• Dad report:– Gave money– Helped in another way– Present at birth– Has held baby– Name on birth certificate– Baby will have surname– Wants to be involved

1 Year Father-Child Activities(F about self; M about F)

• Play games

• Sing songs/nursery rhymes

• Read stories

• Tell stories

• Play inside with toys

• Take child to visit relatives

• Hug or show physical affection

• Put child to bed

• Change diaper – only M about F

• Feed or give bottle – only M about F

Father-Child Contact about One Year after Baby’s Birth (n=4,337)

Marital birth

94.4

50.3

5.9

11.5

7.6

5.8

12.2

6.3 0.5

Live together

Every day, non-res

10-29 days past mo.

3-9 days past mo.

1-2 days past mo.

Saw, not past mo.

Never saw

Died

Nonmarital birth

Father-Child Contact about One Year after Nonmarital Birth (n=3,260)

Resident at birthNon-resident at birth

28.0

6.6

16.111.3

8.4

17.9

11.30.4

74.2

5.0

6.6

3.43.1

6.2 1.0 0.5

Live together

Every day, non-res

10-29 days past mo.

3-9 days past mo.

1-2 days past mo.

Saw, not past mo.

Never saw

Died

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Married Cohabiting Non-resident

Play games

Play inside

Hug

Read stories

Tell stories

Feed/bottle

Diaper

Father-Child Activities Past Month

1=never2= < few times/wk

3=few times/wk4=every day/nearly

Frequency of Spanking (Last Month)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Mothers

Fathers

Never Once or twice A few times/month A few times/week Every day

The end…!