Changes in Family Structure

• How have family structures changed since the 1970s?

  • Dual-earner households have increased, so women are working.
  • Increased divorce rates, so there are more lone-parent households headed by women.
• Changes in family structure may impact the educational attainment of girls in a positive way. How?

  Seeing a financially independent mother encourages young girls to work hard and single mothers let girls know that they cannot financially rely on a man.
• Why aren't all young girls positively impacted by these changes in family structure?

  Some girls being raised in lone parent households may be expected to assist more in childcare and housework, negatively impacting their grades.
• A strength or the theory regarding changes in family structure is that it can help to explain the underachievement of young boys.

  Sewell argues a lack of a present father figure causes young black boys to underachieve in the education system. He states that this causes them to seek older male validation from gangs, which are anti-school.
• How has the government tried to intervene with boy's underachievement resulting from changing family structures?

  Their 'Dads and Sons' campaign encourages boys to focus on their education by providing fathers with paid time off work to be more involved in their sons education.

  However, this only assists attainment of boys with present fathers, not helping boys who lack father figures, who as discussed are the most affected.