Maternal Stress and Mothering Behaviors in Stable and Unstable Families

Abstract

Prior research linking family structure with parenting often confounds the effects of family structure with the effects of family instability. In this analysis, I use data from the Fragile Families Study (N= 3107) to answer two main questions: (a) Are there differences in maternal stress and mothering behaviors across stably married, cohabiting, visiting, and single-mother families? and (b) Does family instability have a negative impact on mothering behaviors? I focus specifically on the relationship between the biological parents of a one-year-old focal child. Most differences in maternal stress and mothering behaviors across stable family structures are explained by selection, with the exception that single mothers report higher levels of maternal stress. Mothers who experience instability over their child’s first year have similar levels of stress and behaviors as compared to mothers in stable relationships, with few exceptions.