In Ireland, historically and in the current era, family has been a central concern for society and the State. This article provides a descriptive overview of family life in Ireland and of major family-related changes over the past 40 years. It presents a general framework of analysis within which these changes can be understood, considers the…

The promotion of marriage and two-parent families became an explicit public policy goal with the passage of the 1996 welfare reform bill. Marriage has the putative effect of reducing welfare dependency among single mothers, but only if they marry men with earnings sufficient to lift them and their children out of poverty. Newly released data from…

We apply marital search theory to examine whether out-of-wedlock childbearing affects mate selection patterns among American women. Using 1980-1995 CPS data, we apply probit models with selection to account for potential selection bias due to differences in "marriageability" between women in and not in unions. Compared to those without unmarried…

The promotion of marriage and two-parent families as a strategy to reduce welfare dependency continues to be a major public policy goal of the 1996 welfare reform. Based on the assumption that women will marry employed men and that their earnings will lift poor mothers and their children from public dependency, this objective raises important…

Changes in parenting behavior have led to the troubling situation called the "feminization of poverty." Families headed by divorced women are doing better than is commonly supposed. Families headed by never-married women are doing worse. Public policy should reflect the differing needs of these two groups. (VM)

Like the "scientific" approaches of craniometry and eugenics, Herrnstein and Murray's methods and arguments reveal an ideological position not only on African Americans but also on the role of women. Points out their focus on women in discussions of "illegitimacy," birth control, and parenting, and their targeting of poor…

Welfare work programs are a form of welfare fraud. They engender little change compared to the resources that go into them. The most promising policies for reducing welfare roles are the following: (1) support of children by absent parents; (2) tax credit systems; (3) improvements in public education; and (4) provision of health care. (VM)

Compares changes in birth rates, sexual activity, abortion rates, illegitimate births, and incidence of giving babies up for adoption among White and Black adolescents and explores social and cultural influences on the racial differences. Presents suggestions for culturally related interventions in the area of teenage pregnancy. (Author/MJL)

Presents an overview of changes in childbearing and fertility-regulating behavior that relate to policy issues concerned with child development and well-being. Discusses developmental consequences of "unwantedness" and adolescent childbearing. Also considers special needs of children in developing countries. (Author/GC)

Critics who advocate encouraging pregnant teenagers to marry are mistaken. Teen marriages are distinctly less stable than marriages that occur after age twenty. Later marriers are less likely to be on welfare and are likely to have more education and fewer children. A hasty marriage makes a bad situation worse. (BJV)

Reviews research on the changing patterns of childbearing among adolescents and the impact of premature parenthood on the life course of young mothers and their children. The evidence supports the need for more integration among services and the importance of increasing the availability of services to those in need. (Author/BJV)

Discusses factors that influence the formation of the Black extended family and the direct and indirect effects of the extended family on child and family development. Single mothers who are active participants in an extended family setting have a greater opportunity for self-improvement, work, and peer contact than do other mothers. (Author/BJV)

Reviews issues surrounding adoption as an option for resolving teen crisis pregnancies. Examines the decision-making processes and social psychological consequences of adoption as a distinct phenomenon, including adoption rates and characteristics, factors influencing the adoption decision, birth mother response to adoption placement, and social…

New studies demonstrate that many teen marriages are more resilient than had previously been believed; current policies promote single parenthood for teen mothers in the face of very little systemic information about young fathers and their potential for being providers, husbands, or parents. Marriage is a feasible option for many pregnant…

Assesses effects of community sex ratio (of men to women) on rural Black family formation and structure. Ratio directly linked to Black women's marriage prevalence, and inversely linked to women's nonmarital fertility. Concludes ratio a family-structure factor. Suggests social policy implications. Suggests urban ghetto studies be broadened. (TES)