Family Structure, Social Support, and Early Child Development among Puerto Rican Children in the United States

Bridget K. Gorman, Rice University and University of Texas

The structural arrangements of families have been repeatedly demonstrated to influence the developmental outcomes of children as they age. However, supportive social relationships can be an important source of social capital, and may be particularly important for child development among minority women in the United States. Using data from the Puerto Rican Maternal and Infant Health Study, this paper examines how the relationship between early child development and maternal social support varies by family structure. Maternal support received has important protective effects for development among young children of married parents, and operates both directly and indirectly by buffering the negative effects of maternal stress. Social support is also important for the children of cohabiting parents, but operates solely by buffering the negative effects of financial stress. However, for children born to single mothers, measures of maternal social support have no significant effect on development.