The Effects of a Minnesota Welfare Reform Program on Marital Stability Six Years Later

Do welfare reform policies affect marital stability among two-parent families? Long term findings from an experiment in Minnesota, evaluated via a random assignment design, contribute to the little evidence to date about whether or not welfare and income-support policies can affect marital stability...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Population research and policy review 2004-10, Vol.23 (5/6), p.567-593
Main Authors: Gennetian, Lisa A., Knox, Virginia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children
Cohabitation
Demography
Divorce
Divorce rates
Economic aspects
Economic incentives
Employment
Food stamps
Indexing in process
Marital stability
Marital status
Marriage
Minnesota
Parents
Parents & parenting
Participation
Policy studies
Public assistance programs
Public welfare
Social policy
Spouses
Statistics
U.S.A
United States
Waivers
Welfare reform
Welfare state
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Summary:Do welfare reform policies affect marital stability among two-parent families? Long term findings from an experiment in Minnesota, evaluated via a random assignment design, contribute to the little evidence to date about whether or not welfare and income-support policies can affect marital stability. In 1994, Minnesota began to test a major welfare reform initiative that emphasized financial incentives for work, a participation requirement for long-term recipients, and the simplification of rules and procedures for receiving public assistance. An analysis of this program's long-run effects on marital stability for two-parent families finds no effect overall but contrasting effects for several subgroups. MFIP particularly lowered the rate of divorce among families who were already receiving welfare when they entered the study. There are less consistent effects among new applicants to MFIP--who show a trend toward higher rates of divorce relative to the control group.
ISSN:0167-5923
1573-7829
DOI:10.1007/s11113-004-2708-7