Children of Immigrants in Unmarried Families: A Double Jeopardy?

1
Children of Immigrants in Unmarried Families A
Double Jeopardy?

• Yolanda C. Padilla, PhD, LMSW
• Melissa Radey, Eunjeong Kim, Robert Hummer
• Population Research Center
• University of Texas at Austin

2
Background

• 1 in every 5 children in the U.S. has at least
  one foreign born parent
• Children of immigrants are at greater risk than
  are the children of US-born parents
• Children of single parents are at greater risk
  than the children of two-parent families

3
Research Question

• What are the living conditions of young children
  of immigrants relative to children of US-born
  parents in married and unmarried families?

4
Purpose

• To assess the impact of marital status on
  immigrant child well-being
• To examine social and economic hardship faced by
  children of immigrants at age 1 relative to
  children of US-born parents
• To assess access to social support, health
  services, and social services among immigrant
  families

5
Study Design

• Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study,
  Mother Survey, Year 1 and Baseline
• Comparative analyses of children of immigrant
  mothers and children of US-born mothers broken by
  marital status
• Weighted data, except in the tables providing
  sample distribution data (pros and cons of
  weighting the data are to be considered)
• Children of immigrants are defined as those
  with foreign-born mothers (all born in the U.S.)
• Puerto Ricans born in PR are not classified as
  immigrants

6
Table 1. Sample Distribution of Place of Origin
of Immigrant Mothers
Place of Origin Total Number of Immigrants Proportion of Immigrant Sample Proportion of Total Sample
Mexico Central/South America Caribbean Asia Europe Other Total Immigrant Total US-Born Total Sample 366 128 132 121 36 44 826 4045 4871 44.26 15.48 15.96 14.63 4.35 5.32 100.00 7.51 2.63 2.71 2.48 0.74 0.91 16.96 83.04 100

Note Other are respondents from the continents
of Africa and Australia/Oceania, and from Canada.
7
Table 2. Sample Distribution of Immigrant Status
and Marital Status
Marital Status Marital Status Marital Status Marital Status Marital Status Marital Status
Unmarried Unmarried Married Married Total Total
Immigrant Status N N N
Immigrant US-Born Total 495 3181 3676 13.47 86.53 75.47 331 864 1195 27.70 72.30 24.53 826 4045 4871 16.96 83.04 100

8
Unmarried/married sample split by immigrant
status
Immigration Status Immigration Status Immigration Status Immigration Status Immigration Status Immigration Status
Immigrant Immigrant US-Born US-Born Total Total
Marital Status N N N
Unmarried Married Total 495 331 826 59.93 40.07 16.96 3181 864 4045 78.64 21.36 83.04 3676 1195 4871 75.47 24.53 100

9
Table 3. Recency of Immigration and Citizenship
of Immigrant Mothers by Marital Status
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers
Unmarried Married Total
Years in US Less than 5 years Between 5 and 10 years More than 10 years 34.73 29.29 35.98 32.61 28.57 38.82 33.88 29.00 37.13
US Citizen 24.44 39.61 30.50

Significance level between married and unmarried
plt.10 p lt .05 p lt .01
10
Table 4. Socioeconomic StatusEducation
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Education (Degree Earned) Less than High School High School Diploma/GED Some College/Trade Sch. Bachelors Degree and higher 56.77 20.52 18.92 3.78 33.53 18.86 18.86 28.74 47.49 19.86 18.90 13.76 37.90 35.74 23.41 2.95 10.50 20.07 32.87 36.56 32.04 32.39 25.43 10.14
Education (Years) Less than 9 yrs. 9-11yrs. High School Diploma/GED 13 yrs. 21.71 35.06 20.52 22.71 14.07 19.46 18.86 47.60 18.66 28.83 19.86 32.66 3.04 34.86 35.74 26.36 .23 10.27 20.07 69.43 2.44 29.60 32.39 35.37

• Significance level between married and unmarried
  within each category of immigrant or US-born
  plt.10 p lt .05 p lt .01
• Significance level between between immigrant and
  native plt.10 p lt .05 p lt.01

11
Table 4. Socioeconomic Status Poverty
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Poverty Level Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Below Poverty (0-99) Borderline Poverty (100-199) Above Poverty (200) 60.44 24.08 15.48 34.53 23.58 42.09 49.93 23.80 26.28 51.33 27.58 21.09 10.96 17.93 71.11 42.47 25.46 32.08
12
Table 4. Socioeconomic Status Race/Ethnicity
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers
Race/Ethnicity Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Mexican American Other Hispanic Non-Hispanic White Black Other 48.67 27.20 2.66 13.70 7.77 37.00 14.37 11.62 13.46 23.54 44.00 22.06 6.25 13.60 14.10 10.01 9.11 16.36 62.43 2.10 7.92 6.86 54.02 30.02 1.19 9.56 8.63 24.42 55.49 1.90
13
Table 4. Socioeconomic Status Employment
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers
Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Currently Employed 43.72 38.93 41.79 53.41 60.67 55.01
Currently Employed Full-time 30.90 27.86 29.67 39.17 37.81 38.87

14
Table 4. Socioeconomic Status Occupation
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers Native Mothers
Occupation Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Professional/ Technical Admin. Support/ Sales Service Skilled Labor/ Unspecified 4.83 32.63 40.79 21.75 22.94 36.70 24.77 15.60 12.02 34.24 34.43 19.31 7.19 50.54 31.44 10.84 27.79 49.73 17.02 5.45 11.81 50.36 28.21 9.63

15
Table 4. Socioeconomic Status Relationship
Status Among Unmarried Mothers

16
Table 4. Socioeconomic CharacteristicsMothers
Age and Number of Children
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Mothers Age (Mean) (BA) 25.64 29.11 27.01 23.71 29.36 24.92
Number of Children in Household (Mean) (BA) 2.26 2.12 2.32 2.36 2.22 2.20

17
Table 5. Mothers Assets
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Mothers Assets Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Have Bank Account 42.71 73.90 55.64 46.79 87.61 56.44
Have Credit Card 30.65 65.07 44.90 31.60 77.66 42.70
Own Car 51.31 83.33 64.74 49.98 89.86 59.50
Own Home 6.76 31.43 16.71 7.56 52.92 17.53

18
Table 6. Mothers Health Behaviors
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Mothers Health Behaviors Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Smoking during pregnancy (BA) 3.58 2.11 2.99 26.45 9.58 22.85
Alcohol use during pregnancy (BA) 4.77 8.16 6.12 11.65 11.23 11.56
Drug use during pregnancy (BA) 0.8 0.6 0.72 8.00 1.16 6.54
Ever Breastfeed During Childs First Year 83.41 88.26 85.38 45.46 72.70 51.50

19
Table 7. Maternal and Child Health
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Maternal and Child Health Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Low Birth Weight (BA) 6.72 4.00 5.64 12.33 6.75 11.14
Child Health at Year 1 Excellent/ Very Good Good/ Fair Poor 72.86 26.65 0.49 78.93 20.71 0.36 75.33 24.24 0.44 87.25 12.43 0.32 93.55 6.45 0.00 88.65 11.11 0.25
Mothers Health (BA) Excellent/ Very Good Good/ Fair Poor 50.30 47.91 1.79 57.96 42.04 0.00 53.35 45.57 1.08 65.00 34.43 0.56 79.35 20.65 0.00 68.07 31.48 0.44
20
Table 8. Childcare Arrangements
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Childcare Arrangements Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Relative Care 21.50 15.30 18.99 26.53 21.09 25.33
Living with Childs Grandmother 18.49 11.11 15.55 20.15 5.19 16.93
No. of Child Care Arrangements Not using child care more than 10 hrs/wk 1 2 64.88 31.22 3.90 70.00 26.43 3.57 66.96 29.28 3.77 53.99 38.98 7.03 53.92 38.48 7.60 53.97 38.87 7.15
21
Table 9. Material Hardship
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Material Hardship Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Child Has Gone Hungry 2.91 1.78 2.45 0.59 0.37 0.55
Mother Has Gone Hungry 7.26 4.63 6.20 5.00 2.11 4.37
HH Member Could not Afford Needed Medical Care 8.96 4.63 7.20 5.60 3.35 5.10
Could not Afford Utilities 22.63 15.71 19.63 32.79 20.95 30.19

22
Table 10. Irregular Work Schedules (If Worked
After Childs Birth)
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Irregular Work Schedule Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Evening Work 35.90 32.36 34.54 40.29 37.24 39.60
Night Work 18.80 18.42 18.65 18.05 16.07 17.60
Weekend Work 49.43 44.74 47.58 57.22 44.64 54.37
Different Times each Week 29.91 25.00 27.98 34.78 27.97 33.24
Schedule Creates Childcare Problems 33.91 37.78 35.33 27.14 26.23 26.95
23
Table 11. Availability of Social Support and
Neighborhood StabilitySocial Support

24
Table 11. Availability of Social Support and
Neighborhood Stability Neighborhood Stability
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Neighborhood Stability Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
No. of Years in Neighborhood (BA) Less than 1 year 1 year 2 years More than 2 years 35.54 20.08 12.25 32.13 25.30 19.58 16.57 38.55 31.45 19.88 13.98 34.70 33.84 15.35 10.11 40.70 24.51 18.05 12.56 44.88 31.78 15.95 10.65 41.62
Neighborhood Very Safe or Safe (BA) 78.73 85.80 81.53 80.87 91.54 83.15

25
Table 12. Access to Health Care and Public
Assistance
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Access to Health Care Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
Prenatal Care in First 3 Months of Pregnancy (BA) 82.34 86.69 84.01 77.46 92.57 80.72
Health Insurance (BA) Private Medicaid/HMO Other 13.65 76.71 9.64 47.13 44.71 8.16 27.02 63.93 9.05 21.36 73.48 5.16 75.67 20.74 3.59 32.95 62.22 4.82
No. of Well Child Visits 0-3 4 8.86 91.14 5.08 94.92 7.37 92.63 7.50 92.50 3.54 96.46 6.65 93.35

26
Table 12. Access to Health Care and Public
Assistance
Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers Immigrant Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers US-Born Mothers
Access to Public Assistance Unmarried Married Total Unmarried Married Total
TANF Receipt 15.22 4.29 10.81 34.30 4.35 27.12
Food Stamp Receipt 28.02 10.36 20.89 49.27 11.07 40.88
Rent Assistance 9.20 4.37 7.47 21.37 5.56 19.23
Assistance from Head Start/Early Head Start 5.15 .72 3.36 5.44 2.12 4.71
WIC Receipt 83.09 57.86 72.91 82.83 36.27 72.61

27
Conclusions

• Children of unmarried immigrants face a double
  jeopardy.
• Although 35 of children of immigrants are living
  in poverty, they are less likely to receive TANF
  or food stamps (although US citizens).
• They have poorer health and are less likely to
  have private health insurance.
• In addition, children of immigrants are less
  likely to live in families with access to social
  support.

28
Implications for Policy

• The study shows that children of immigrants,
  especially unmarried, are at risk due to their
  socioeconomic conditions.
• Recent policy developments under the 1996 Welfare
  Reform Act exclude immigrant families from access
  to many health and social services.
• Parents often lack benefits for their children
  and, thus, their children run the risk of not
  getting their needs met.