This article is the second in a series of 12 articles about contemporary American families.

Q: What are further research studies regarding contemporary families?

A: The state of Nevada published a report from the Justice and Democracy forum on the Leading Social Indicators in Nevada that took place at the William S. Boyd School of Law. The report from the November 2004 forum was a collaborative effort by the University of Nevada, professionals in Clark County, Nev., and state officials.

The purpose of compiling the Social Health of Nevada report was to document an overview of marriage, divorce and family in order to shed light on issues that place children and families at risk, and to make recommendations for policy. The overview included data on changes and trends in the United States.

Modern families are more diverse, smaller and more mobile. Family members live longer, are healthier, and have more education. Although there is more equality in gender and race, many negative social conditions continue that threaten children and families. There are many misconceptions about families today.

The age for first marriages has increased, the number of adults who choose to marry has diminished, the number of children per family has decreased, and there is far greater diversity in both individual and family lifestyles.

The increase in cohabitation among couples has delayed the ages of first marriages. Women pursuing their educations and women participating more in the work force also have delayed the ages of first marriages. These factors have resulted in women postponing childbearing and having fewer children.

Family transitions include marriage, bearing children, widowhood, divorce and remarriage. Rates of divorce and remarrying remain high. Trends that support the continuation of a high divorce rate are high expectations of marriage combined with a belief in individual happiness, the continuation of married women working, and the adoption of no-fault divorce in most states.

In the Nevada analysis of the effect of divorce, the report concluded children of divorced parents have two to three times the risk for negative outcomes than children living with their parents. These risks include: lower levels of education, serious behavioral problems, more emotional problems, and more likelihood to divorce in the future themselves. Most of the time the problems of the children surface after parents divorce were present before divorce.

Although the consequences of lower household incomes for divorced mothers who have residential custody has been emphasized, it is not the most significant consequence of divorce. If less income means mothers and children have to move to substandard housing in undesirable neighborhoods with poor schools, children do suffer from these negative transitions.

However, effective parenting during and following separation and divorce is by far the most important determinant of children's well-being. Economic resources are secondary. Thus, when single mothers choose to cohabitate or remarry, there is no improvement in the well-being of the children. Conversely, if the stepfather or cohabiting partner has a poor relationship with the children, there can be a decrease in their well-being.

Children who live continuously with both their parents have the best chances of achieving good mental and physical health. Most children who experience divorce, single parenting or remarrying eventually adjust and function no differently than children raised by both parents. However, some factors predispose children toward higher risks of post-divorce problems.

Those children experiencing more than two family transitions are more likely to have difficulties. Children who live with single mothers have more social and economic disadvantages than those living with divorced mothers. Children in complex step family situations have the most frequent and most severe adjustment problems.

Children who have lost contact with nonresidential parents are more likely to have problems. Children who have parents who continue to have high levels of conflict post-divorce tend to display aggressive and hostile behavior.

Non-supportive relationships between stepparents and children are problematic for children. Sibling relationships can provide support to children living in single-parent families (or step-families), but step-sibling relationships are not as important in improving the well-being of children.

The Nevada report emphasized several lesser known facts. First, more than one third of children who are poor live in working-poor families in which at least one parent works full-time. Second, only 15 percent or less of these children were born to teenage mothers. The majority were born to women older than 25 years of age. Third, half of the children living in working-poor families live with married parents.

Although parenting has become a shared role in marriage, in divorce residential custody is awarded to the mother 90 percent of the time. Children need time with both parents so that shared residential custody is the best option except when parents have high conflict or when parents do not live in the same community.

* Next week's article will discuss problem behaviors in adolescents and children related to causes within the family.

Judy Caprez is associate professor and director of social work at Fort Hays State University. Send your questions to her in care of the department of sociology and social work, Rarick Hall, FHSU.