Parent–Child Leisure and Parent Affect: The Role of Family Structure

This study evaluates differences in parent–child leisure and parent affect across single- and two-parent families. The Ecology of Family Experiences framework suggests contextual factors such as family structure and the novelty of the activity environment contribute to heterogeneity in how parents experience leisure, partly because constraints may differ across family structures. Using a large, nationally representative data sample of parents from the American Time Use Survey (N = 78,353), this study shows single-parents experience leisure deficits compared to other parents, and leisure deficits are greatest in home-based leisure. Additionally, using a subsample (N = 16,214), we found that at-home leisure is more meaningful for single parents than other parents, suggesting avoidance behaviors do not drive differences. Instead, structural constraints like time and money likely curb leisure in single-parent homes. Findings have policy implications, because many leisure programs target away-from-home leisure which is less restorative to single parents.

Does Being a Parent Affect Suicide Ideology?

The impact of marriage and family life on suicide has been restricted largely to marriage as opposed to parenting. The present article assesses the effect of parenting on suicide ideology. An analysis of national data on 9,778 respondents finds that the greater the parental responsibilities the lower the pro suicide ideology. A sociological model of parenting and suicide is confirmed. Further, bonds to children are found to be more important than bonds to a spouse in explaining the variation in suicide attitudes. These findings were replicated in four separate analyses of widowed, married, divorced, and separated persons. These effects were independent of variables drawn from other models of suicide ideology including ones based on gender and religion.