Socioeconomic Outcomes of Children of Interracial and Same-Race Couples

Thomas Wells, Brown University

Utilizing multivariate regression techniques and data from the 2000 Census PUMS, this project analyzes the outcomes of children of interracial couples. Specifically, the project aims to answer the following questions: (1) How are the adolescent children of interracial couples faring in terms of socioeconomic outcomes and how are they faring relative to children from corresponding single-race couples? (2) Among children of both interracial and single-race couples, what are the major determinants of socioeconomic outcomes? How are family background characteristics shown to influence children's outcomes? (3) Do results seem to be consistent with Robert Park's marginal man theory or more consistent with class background explanations? (4) How are the reported races of adolescents associated with both family background characteristics and the socioeconomic outcomes considered? This project will provide answers to these particular research questions, and in doing so, will tie together social stratification research with very recent research on multiracial Americans.