Semester of Graduation

Spring 2026

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Human Development & Family Science

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether children’s academic performance differs between single-mother and single-father households and whether parental educational level, work hours, or poverty level has any impact on children’s academic performance. The research is framed on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and inspired by the Parental Involvement Model, therefore highlighting the importance and power of a child’s surroundings (family structure, financial status, social support, school, systems, and policies) on influencing their development (Ren et al., 2024; Pribesh et al., 2020; Hanson, 1986; Fuller, 1984; Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Using a longitudinal secondary dataset from the Future Family and Child Well-being Study (FFCWS), the study conducted a descriptive analysis, an independent-samples t-test analysis, and two multiple regression models to examine the study objectives. The participants in this study included single-fathers (n = 180) and single-mothers (n = 3828) from Wave 5, Year 9 of the FFCWS. Findings from the study suggest reframing the conversation away from single mothers versus single fathers and toward implementing policies and practices that support and create financial stability and work-hour adjustments for working single parents, particularly single fathers, as indicated by the results. Results based on the study sample emerged that the gender of a single parent does not in itself predict negative academic outcomes. However, parental education, work hours, and poverty level were significant predictors that differed by household type. In single-mother households, educational level, poverty, and work hours were significant predictors of children’s academic performance, whereas in single-father households, only work hours was a significant predictor of children’s academic performance. The findings of this study strongly suggest that future studies carry out a mixed-methods approach to obtain rich descriptive data on the ever-increasing phenomenon of family structure differences, thereby promoting children’s academic success in single-mother and single-father households.

Date

3-26-2026

Committee Chair

Laura Ainsworth

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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Available for download on Sunday, March 26, 2028

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