Table 1. Effects of different kinds of parental absences.
Effect of family structures on parental continuity (c), the presence of a non-kin actor in the household, a parent’s experiencing mate search costs, and an adolescent’s predicted age at first birth (AFB). Note: When incorporating mate search costs, adolescents would always experience these as well.
| Family household structure | Parental continuity (c) |
Non-kin actor present |
Mate search costs to parent |
Adolescent’s predicted AFB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two genetic parents | ∼1 | No | No | Latest |
| Parent and step-parent | ∼0 | Yes | No | Intermediate |
| Widowed single parent | 0 | No | Yes | Earliest |
| Other single parent (e.g., labor migrant or separated) |
>0 | No | Maybe | Intermediate |