Family Structure and the Well-Being of Immigrant Children in Four European Countries

TY - JOUR

T1 - Family Structure and the Well-Being of Immigrant Children in Four European Countries

AU - Kalmijn, M.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Data on secondary school children in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden show that large differences exist in family structure within the minority population: In some groups, father absence is more common than among natives; in others, it is less common. These patterns reflect the differences in family structure in the origin countries, but the migration process also plays a role. Next, it is found that father absence has negative effects on immigrant children's well-being, but these effects appear weaker in minority groups where father absence is more common. Heterogeneous effects are interpreted in terms of different degrees of institutionalization of father absence in different minority groups.

AB - Data on secondary school children in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden show that large differences exist in family structure within the minority population: In some groups, father absence is more common than among natives; in others, it is less common. These patterns reflect the differences in family structure in the origin countries, but the migration process also plays a role. Next, it is found that father absence has negative effects on immigrant children's well-being, but these effects appear weaker in minority groups where father absence is more common. Heterogeneous effects are interpreted in terms of different degrees of institutionalization of father absence in different minority groups.

KW - family structure

KW - well-being of immigrant children

KW - Europe

KW - SSCI

U2 - 10.1111/imre.12262

DO - 10.1111/imre.12262

M3 - Article

SN - 0197-9183

VL - 51

SP - 927

EP - 963

JO - International Migration Review

JF - International Migration Review

IS - 4

ER -