Family structure and children's behavioral and cognitive outcomes

We used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine the effect of various family structures on behavioral and cognitive outcomes fo r children aged 7 to 10. We extended previous research by using a longitudi nal definition of family structure and by, exploring multiple mechanisms th rough which family structure may affect children in 2 outcome domains. We f ound that family income, mother's psychological functioning, and the qualit y of the home environment are particularly important for children's behavio r, whereas family income and mother's aptitude have notable effects on chil dren's cognitive test scores.