ABSTRACT: Family structure significantly affects the development outcome of children. This article examines the research and concludes that the family structure which leads to optimal child development is the family headed by two biological parents in a low-conflict marriage. The American College of Pediatricians urges policy makers to advocate for this family structure.
What factors in a child’s life have the greatest impact on their overall health and well being? Two of the richest resources for wellness are a child’s parents and family. Parents, pediatricians, social scientists, and other child-development professionals have long appreciated how important good schools, safe neighborhoods and sufficient economic support are for the health and well-being of children. After years of neglecting the issue, social scientists in the last 20 years have come to recognize another important resource: the significant effect the marital status of the child’s parents has on children. The positive impact of a married mother and father on a child’s development has been scientifically verified across all measures of well-being.
Read the entire article at: http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/parenting-issues/marriage-and-the-family
Read the entire article at: http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/parenting-issues/marriage-and-the-family
