What Factors Account for State-to-State Differences in Food Security?

States differ in the extent to which their residents are food secure—meaning that they have consistent access to enough food for active, healthy living. The prevalence of food security in a State depends not only on the characteristics of households in the State, such as their income, employment, and household structure, but also on State-level characteristics, such as average wages, cost of housing, levels of participation in food assistance programs, and tax policies. Taken together, an identified set of household-level and State-level factors account for most of the State-to-State differences in food security. Some State-level factors point to specific policies that are likely to improve food security, such as policies that increase the supply of affordable housing, promote the use of Federal food assistance programs, or reduce the total tax burden on low-income households.Food security, food insecurity, hunger, very low food security, State predictors of food security, Food Security and Poverty,

Community contributions to scholastic success

Journal ArticleThe authors examine the influence of neighborhood characteristics on the academic outcomes of children in middle childhood. Prior research has examined structural features of the community and has evaluated their associations with youth outcomes (Brooks-Gunn, Duncan, Klebanov, & Sealand, 1993; Kowaleski-Jones, 2000). Other research has related perceptions of community environment to youth development (Aneshensel & Sucoff, 1996). This work seeks to bridge these two streams of research by considering the influence of both objective and subjective measures of the community environment on school-aged children. Data are drawn from the 1990 Census and the 1997 Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement (PSID-CDS). Results indicate a negative influence of living in a community with low socioeconomic resources for academic achievement. In contrast, in some models, results suggest a positive role for living in a community rich in immigrant concentration for school-related behavioral adjustment and achievement outcomes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR

Family structure and child well-being: examining the role of parental social connections

ManuscriptThis paper examines the role of parental social connections in accounting for subgroup differences in the influence of family structure on children. Our previous work found that white, but not black, children were negatively influenced by living in a singleparent family (Dunifon and Kowaleski-Jones, 2002). This paper examines whether parental social connections account for such differences in the influence of family structure on child well-being. Using data from the 1988 to 2000 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we estimate fixed effect models that suggest a key role for living with a grandparent in accounting for the race difference in the influence of single-parenthood on children. In contrast, visiting friends and relatives did not explain differences in the relationship between single-parenthood and child delinquency within sub-groups

Exploring the influence of the National School Lunch Program on children using the early childhood longitudinal study

Working PaperUsing data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 1998-1999 Kindergarten Cohort, the proposed study examines two research questions. First, what are the effects of participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) on changes in children's behavior, test scores, and body weight? Second, do these effects differ by gender? To address issues of selection, we use first difference regression techniques. These techniques reduce the bias resulting from unobserved time-invariant characteristics that influence a family's enrollment in the NSLP. The results from this project provide important insight into the role of the National School Lunch Program in influencing child health, academic well-being, and social development

Under Whose Roof? Understanding the Living Arrangements of Children in Doubled-Up Households

A growing literature in family demography examines children\u27s residence in doubled-up (shared) households with extended family members and nonkin. This research has largely overlooked the role of doubling up as a housing strategy, with “hosts” (householders) providing housing support for “guests” living in their home. Yet, understanding children\u27s experiences in doubled-up households requires attention to host/guest status. Using the American Community Survey and Survey of Income and Program Participation, we identify the prevalence of children doubling up as hosts and guests in different household compositions (multigenerational, extended family, nonkin), show how this varies by demographic characteristics, and examine children\u27s patterns of residence across these household types. We find large variation by demographic characteristics. More disadvantaged children have higher rates of doubling up as guests than hosts, whereas more advantaged children have higher rates of doubling up as hosts than guests. Additionally, compared with hosts, guests more often use doubling up as a longer-term strategy; a greater share of guests live consistently doubled up over a three-year period, but those who do transition between household types experience more transitions on average than do hosts. Our findings show the importance of attending to both housing status and household composition when studying children living in doubled-up households

Mothers\u27 Work and Children\u27s Lives: Low-Income Families after Welfare Reform

This book examines the effects of work requirements imposed by welfare reform on low-income women and their families. The authors pay particular attention to the nature of work—whether it is stable or unstable, the number of hours worked in a week and the regularity and flexibility of work schedules. They also show how these factors make it more difficult for low-income women to balance their work and family requirements.https://research.upjohn.org/up_press/1026/thumbnail.jp

Evidence-Based Extension

This argues that Extension should embrace the evidenced-based practice movement, which links scientific evidence and practice. This movement entails a thorough scientific review of the research literature, the identification of the most effective interventions or strategies, and a commitment to translating the results into guidelines for practice. This process corresponds closely to the goals of USDA CSREES. We offer several ways in which Extension can connect with ongoing evidence-based activities in relevant areas. By doing so, Extension can improve its use of research-based practice and also inform and advance the ongoing evidence-based work occurring in the scientific community

Attitudes and Performance: An Analysis of Russian Workers

This paper investigates the relationship between locus of control and performance among Russian employees, using survey data collected at 28 workplaces in 2002 in Taganrog and at 47 workplaces in 2003 in Ekaterinburg. We develop a measure that allows us to categorize the Russian employees participating in our survey as exhibiting an internal or external locus of control. We then assess the extent to which there are significant differences between “internals” and “externals” in work-related attitudes that may affect performance. In particular, we focus on (1) attitudes about outcomes associated with hard work, (2) level of job satisfaction, (3) expectation of receiving a desired reward, and (4) loyalty to and involvement with one’s organization. In each case we identify where gender and generational differences emerge. Our main objective is to determine whether Russian employees who exhibit an internal locus of control perform better than employees with an external locus of control. Our performance measures include earnings, expected promotions, and assessments of the quantity and quality of work in comparison to others at the same organization doing a similar job. Controlling for a variety of worker characteristics, we find that (1) individuals who exhibit an internal locus of control perform better, but this result is not always statistically significant; (2) even among “internals,” women earn significantly less than men and have a much lower expectation of promotion; (3) even among “internals,” experience with unemployment has a negative influence on performance.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40144/3/wp758.pd

Differential Item Functioning on Antisocial Behavior Scale Items for Adolescents and Young Adults from Single-Parent and Two-Parent Families

We investigated measurement equivalence in two antisocial behavior scales (i.e., one scale for adolescents and a second scale for young adults) by examining differential item functioning (DIF) for respondents from single-parent (n = 109) and two-parent families (n = 447). Even though one item in the scale for adolescents and two items in the scale for young adults showed significant DIF, the two scales exhibited non-significant differential test functioning (DTF). Both uniform and nonuniform DIF were investigated and examples of each type were identified. Specifically, uniform DIF was exhibited in the adolescent scale whereas nonuniform DIF was shown in the young adult scale. Implications of DIF results for assessment of antisocial behavior, along with strengths and limitations of the study, are discussed