Why mothers double up: The role of demographic, economic, and family characteristics

Abstract

Objective: We examine how mothers' characteristics are associated with forming a doubled-up household as a host (allowing adult extended family members/nonrelatives to join their household) and guest (moving into a home owned/rented by extended family/nonrelatives). Background: Doubled-up households are increasingly common and shape families' lives in meaningful ways. Although doubling up is often considered a response to economic need, few studies directly examine the range of characteristics that may predict entry into doubled-up households. Method: Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, we examine how demographic, economic and housing, and family characteristics are associated with mothers' risk of becoming doubled-up as hosts and guests. Results: Multiple factors have independent links to doubling up, including race/ethnicity, housing assistance receipt, and socio-economic status. Family factors are especially important; in particular, experiencing a new birth and having a young child are associated with doubling up as a guest, and romantic relationship changes are associated with doubling up as either a host or guest. Additionally, many predictors of doubling up as a host and guest differ. Finally, we find that almost one-third of adult mothers who are doubled-up as guests never transitioned into a doubled-up household; rather, they remained in their childhood home. Conclusion: A full accounting of when and why families double up requires researchers to attend to mothers' needs-and changes in these needs-across multiple dimensions and to distinguish between hosts and guests.

Non-family Living Arrangements Among Young Adults in the United States

“…Young adults who are non-white or have low education are more likely to live with a parent (Kahn et al, 2013 ). This mirrors population-level trends—intergenerational and extended-family households are more common among non-white and low-SES individuals of all ages in the USA (Amorim et al, 2017 ; Cross, 2018 ; Harvey & Dunifon, 2023 ; Kamo, 2000 ; Pilkauskas, 2012 ; Pilkauskas & Cross, 2018 ; Pilkauskas et al, 2020 ; Swartz, 2009 ; Reyes et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Studies could further explore aspects of these different types of non-family living arrangements: in “roommate” only households, do all household members have similar demographic and socioeconomic characteristics? When an individual lives with a family that he or she is not related to, what are the relative situations of the “host” family and the non-family “guest” (like the work done by Harvey & Dunifon, 2023 on households where parents and their children live with extended family). Another approach could be to compare results across a typology of complex households that contain at least one non-family member.…”