Family Structure Differences in Family Functioning: Interactive Effects of Social Capital and Family Structure

This study investigated family structure differences in family functioning, evaluated whether extra-familial social capital accounted for any observed differences, and tested whether the influence of extra-familial social capital on family functioning varied by family structure. Using the first wave of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (n = 6,223), analysis revealed significantly lower family functioning levels within stable cohabiting two-biological-parent households and stable single-biological-mother households relative to stable married two-biological-parent households, even after sociodemographic controls. Higher levels of social involvement and neighborhoodcohesion were associated with increased family functioning, but did not mediate family structure differences in family functioning. The effect of neighborhood cohesion on family functioning depended on family type such that the benefits of neighborhood cohesion for family functioning were magnified at high levels of neighborhood cohesion for both married and cohabiting households but had much less influence on family functioning within single-mother households.