Family Structure and Social Mobility

Different types of family structures experienced during childhood have varying effects on mens socioeconomic attainment and social mobility. Holding origin occupational characteristics constant men (both white and African American) from a mother-headed family structure do as well as men from two-biological-parent families. In contrast there is a negative effect of other types of family structures (father-headed stepfamily) on socioeconomic attainment. Also intergenerational occupational inheritance--from male family head to son or from female family head to son--is strongest when the mother is present weakest when the mother is absent. The farther alternative family structures take sons away from their mothers the more the intergenerational transmission process breaks down. (EXCERPT)