In the fall of 2008, a global recession struck, leaving many families in dire financial situations. Families around the world found themselves experiencing forms of economic stress unlike any which had been seen in recent generations. This volume focuses on how families and family members have been affected by economic and financial stress. Using a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives, the family scholars in this volume examine the various ways in which families have adapted in the face of financial stress. Through research studies from around the world, it provides a comprehensive examination of how economic stress and financial difficulties affect family structures, family behaviours, and family relationships. Topics covered include: the persistent economic consequences of single motherhood; financial stress and child care subsidies; the American family 2012; migration and family; parental discipline style and academic achievement; economic stress and marital quality; family financial stress and adolescent substance use; and poverty and family well-being.
List of Contributors. Preface. Over the Long Haul: The Persistent Economic Consequences of Single Motherhood. The Impact of a Fragile Economy on the Well-Being of Michiganians and their Families. Economic Hardship and Marital Quality in Croatia. Struggling to Pay the Bills: Using Mixed-Methods to Understand Families’ Financial Stress and Child Care Costs. Parental Discipline and Parents’ Desire for Children's School Success. Reconstructing Work and Domestic Spheres During the Transition to Parenthood. The Impact of the Great Recession on Mothers’ Employment. The Role of Financial Resources and Agency in Success and Satisfaction Regarding Developmental Tasks in Early Adulthood. The Division of Housework Among Working Couples: Distinguishing Characteristics of Egalitarian Couples. Queuing Theory and the Distribution of Resources by Low-Income Fathers. Family Financial Stress and Adolescent Substance Use: An Examination of Structural and Psychosocial Factors. About the Authors. Economic Stress and the Family. Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research. Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research. Copyright page.