Two-parent, stepparent, and single-parent families: Changes in achievement, attitudes, and behaviors during the last two years of high school.

In the High School and Beyond study (National Center for Educational Statistics, 1986), students were asked in their sophomore year and again in their senior year whether they lived with their mother, a stepmother, their father, or a stepfather. Comparisons were made among 3 family configurations (2-parent, stepparent, and single-parent families) when they were stable during the last 2 years of high school and when the family configuration changed. Results suggest that for a wide variety of outcome variables, growth and change during the last 2 years of high school are relatively unrelated to different family configurations