Young Children’s Behavioral Problems in Married and Cohabiting Families

We use data from the Fragile Families Study (N = 1,370) to examine child behavioral problems among children born to cohabiting and married parents who remain together until the child is age 3. The primary objective of the analysis is to determine how much of the difference in child outcomes at age 3 can be accounted for by differences in family economic resources, parental relationship quality, and parental health. We also investigate whether parents’ marriage after the child’s birth improves child outcomes. Results show that children born to married versus cohabiting parents have fewer reported behavioral problems at age three, and that differences in parental economic, interpersonal, and health resources can account for between 30% to 50% of the differences in child outcomes at age 3. Marriage following a cohabiting birth, however, is not associated with fewer child behavioral problems.