DO CHILDREN'S CHARACTERISTICS AFFECT MATERNAL OUTCOMES?

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This proposal seeks to identify how characteristics of children may affect labor market and mental health outcomes of their mothers. Data from the child supplements of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), as well as data from the Women's Employment Study (WES), housed at the Center on Poverty, Risk, and Mental Health, will be used investigate the effects of child characteristics, such as health problems, disabilities, or behavioral problems, on maternal outcomes, such as mental health, employment, and earnings. A variety of statistical techniques will be used in order to control for potential ways in which mothers and their children may be affecting each other simultaneously. Additionally, this study will test for mediating influences of income and marital status on the links between child characteristics and maternal outcomes. This research will shed light on the role that children play in influencing the employment and mental health outcomes of their mothers, allowing policy-makers to better understand what factors may hinder the progression from welfare to work among low-income women, and to develop programs that are more tailored to the needs of these women.