Full Citation

Title: The Impact of Joint Child Custody Policies on Children’s Long-Term Outcomes

Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis

Publication Year: 2016

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Abstract: Since the 1970s, almost all US states have introduced laws allowing for joint child custody. This move towards joint custody has strengthened in recent years, with states increasingly considering laws that would establish a presumption that joint custody is in the best interests of the child. However, there is little evidence to either support or rebut the contention that joint custody leads to better outcomes for children. In this paper, I work to fill this void by assessing the long-run implications for children of growing up exposed to joint custody legislation. I first employ two separate national datasets to show that enactment of joint custody laws increased the prevalence of actual joint custody arrangements. I then use decennial censuses from 1990 to 2010 to examine the effects of these laws on children’s long-term outcomes. I find that exposure to joint custody laws and practices as a youth has a negative effect on educational attainment. In particular, exposure to joint custody decreases the likelihood that a person will obtain a high school degree. My results imply that, at best, joint custody can have no effect on children’s outcomes and, at worst, can harm long-term educational achievement.

Url: https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/media/Ali%2520Rohde%2520Thesis_1.pdf

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Authors: Rohde, Alexandra

Institution: Amherst College

Department: Economics

Advisor: Prakarsh Singh; Caroline Theoharides

Degree: B.A.

Publisher Location: Hampshire County, Massachusetts

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Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Family and Marriage, Other, Poverty and Welfare

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