Alleenstaande moeder, dubbele rol: Het verschil in effect van opleidingsniveau tussen alleenstaande moeders en moeders met partner op de depressieve symptomen van het volwassen kind

In this article we asked whether the effect of education on the depressive symptoms of their adult children differs between single mothers and mothers with a partner. Previous research has shown that children from low-socioeconomic-status families suffer worse mental health outcomes than those from high-socioeconomic-status families. We therefore expected that adult children from higher educated mothers suffer less from depressive symptoms. Based on Goode's (1960) role strain theory, we hypothesized this effect to be stronger for children of single mothers. Data from the LISS panel were used to test the hypotheses. A negative effect of mother's level of education was found, but only for single mothers. As expected, the educational level of single mothers is of more importance in the mental health outcomes of their children, than that of mothers with a partner.