The effect of social assistance on kin relationships: evidence from Roma communities

Čvorović, Jelena; Vojinović, Želјko

doi:10.1080/19485565.2019.1681256

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…There was no difference in wantedness between the third and fourth born children, suggesting that factors other than desired number of children might influence child wantedness. Future studies should examine the role of female kin support on unwanted childbearing, as having supportive kin may not only buffer against life obstacles but also be beneficial for reproductive success [ 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Wantedness and Low Weight at Birth: Differential Parental Investment among Roma

Čvorović¹

2020

Behavioral Sciences

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Studies investigating child wantedness, birthweight and parental care are limited. This study assessed relationships of child wantedness, low birthweight and differential parental investment in a poor population of Serbian Roma. Data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey round 5 for Roma settlements were used to account for the association between child wantedness and birthweight, and three measures of parental investment: breastfeeding practices, immunization of children and quality of mother–child interaction. The sample included 584 children aged 0–24 months. The child variables were gender, birth order, birthweight (low birthweight at <2500 g and normal birthweight at >2500 g) and whether the child was wanted, while maternal independent variables included age, literacy and household wealth. The results show that unwanted children were at greater risk of having low birthweight. After controlling for birthweight, child wantedness emerged as a predictor of breastfeeding practices and immunization status: Roma mothers biased their investment toward children who were wanted. The quality of mother–child interaction varied with the mother’s household wealth. Given the high rates of infant and child mortality among Roma, investments in children’s health should be prioritized within the family, where maternal bias in parental investment may contribute to their children’s health disparities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Wantedness and Low Weight at Birth: Differential Parental Investment among Roma

Čvorović¹

2020

Behavioral Sciences

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“…However, poverty and environmental uncertainty are strong correlates of low levels of parental investment (Quinlan, 2007). For many Roma mothers, government-provided cash benefits are the only guaranteed source of income, given the Roma low education, skills, and levels of employment (Čvorović and Vojinović, 2020). Child benefits should compensate at least partially for the additional costs of an extra child and increase household spending on inputs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of welfare on maternal investment and sibling competition: evidence from Serbian Roma communities

Čvorović

2023

J. Biosoc. Sci.

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Siblings compete for limited parental resources, which can result in a trade-off between family size and child growth outcomes. Welfare incentives may improve parental circumstances in large families by compensating for the additional costs of an extra child and increasing the resources available to a family. The improvements in conditions may influence parents to increase their investment, expecting greater returns from the investment in child survival and development, while in turn increase sibling competition for the investment. This study assessed whether welfare benefits have influenced parental investment trade-offs and competition between siblings among Serbian Roma, a population largely dependent on welfare. Using data from the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 6, this study assessed the associations between maternal investment, child cash benefits, sibship size, and child anthropometry, as an indicator of health, among 1096 Serbian Roma children aged 0 to 59 months. Living in a small family benefited Roma children, while the incentives increased competition between siblings. Maternal investment was negatively associated with incentives, as the improvements brought about were insufficient to influence a change in maternal perceptions about the local setting uncertainty and thus promote an increase in investment.

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“…Roma mothers’ receipt of welfare could motivate Roma fathers to engage in direct child care: the majority of Roma women do not work (formal income leads to withdrawal of social benefits), but still support the family with cash transfers. Nevertheless, a recent study found that among Serbian Roma, receiving social assistance was associated with disintegration and a diminished role of the family (Čvorović & Vojinović, 2020 ), but whether welfare influence father–child relationships and child outcomes remains unexplored. Also, other potential confounders, such as parental height and health status, were not collected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paternal investment, stepfather presence and early child development and growth among Serbian Roma

Čvorović

2022

Evolut. Hum. Sci.

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Research on paternal investment and child growth and development is limited outside of high-income countries. Using nationally representative data from low resource Serbian Roma communities, this study examined father investment (direct care), its predictors and the associations between paternal investment, stepfather presence, and child physical growth and early development. The sample included 1222 children aged 35-59 months, out of which 235 were living with biological fathers. Child outcomes included height-for-age z scores, stunting and early child developmental score. Roma paternal investment was relatively low. There was a positive association of father investment and children's height, and no association with developmental score. The presence of father vs. stepfather did not exert any influence on children. Instead, maternal and child characteristics explained both the overall development and height for Roma children. Thus, older children, born to literate, lower parity mothers of higher status and greater investment had better developmental and growth outcomes; girls were the preferred sex, due to expected fitness benefits. Reverse causality emerged as the most likely pathway through which the cross-sectional association of father direct care with child growth may manifest, such that Roma fathers tend to bias their investment towards taller, more endowed children, because of greater fitness pay-off.

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The effect of social assistance on kin relationships: evidence from Roma communities

Cited by 4 publications

References 77 publications

Child Wantedness and Low Weight at Birth: Differential Parental Investment among Roma

Child Wantedness and Low Weight at Birth: Differential Parental Investment among Roma

The impact of welfare on maternal investment and sibling competition: evidence from Serbian Roma communities

Paternal investment, stepfather presence and early child development and growth among Serbian Roma

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