Papers by Mikaela J. Dufur
Children, 2024
Growing rates of childhood obesity globally create concern for individuals’ health outcomes and d... more Growing rates of childhood obesity globally create concern for individuals’ health outcomes and demands on health systems. While many policy approaches focus on macro-level interventions, we examine how the type of stability of a family structure might provide opportunities for policy interventions at the micro level. We examine the association between family structure trajectories and childhood overweight and obesity across three Anglophone countries using an expanded set of eight family structure categories that capture biological relationships and instability, along with potential explanatory variables that might vary across family trajectories and provide opportunities for intervention, including access to resources, family stressors, family structure selectivity factors, and obesogenic correlates. We use three datasets that are representative of children born around the year 2000 and aged 11 years old in Australia (n = 3329), the United Kingdom (n = 11,542), and the United States (n = 8837) and nested multivariate multinomial logistic regression models. Our analyses find stronger relationships between child overweight and obesity and family structure trajectories than between child obesity and obesogenic factors. Children in all three countries are sensitive to living with cohabiting parents, although in Australia, this is limited to children whose parents have been cohabiting since before their birth. In the UK and US, parents starting their cohabitation after the child’s birth are more likely to have children who experience obesity. Despite a few differences across cross-cultural contexts, most of the relationship between family structures and child overweight or obesity is connected to differences in families’ access to resources and by the types of parents who enter into these family structures. These findings suggest policy interventions at the family level that focus on potential parents’ education and career prospects and on income support rather than interventions like marriage incentives.
Children, 2024
Child problem behaviors have been linked to immediate and
long-term negative outcomes. Research h... more Child problem behaviors have been linked to immediate and
long-term negative outcomes. Research has found that family and peer social capital have a strong influence on child behavioral outcomes. However, most research about social capital and child behavior problems has been conducted in Western contexts. Social capital may influence child
behavior problems differently in non-Western sociocultural environments due to different family and peer dynamics. Methods: Using a sample from the Japan Household Panel Survey and Japan Child Panel Survey (N = 182), we expand this literature on various forms of social capital to the Japanese context with data that were collected between 2009 and 2014. We examine the relationship of family and peer social capital with children internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors using OLS linear regression. Results: Our results differ from what is commonly found in Western contexts. Whereas family and peer social capital are typically associated with both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in Western countries, we find that greater family social capital is associated with decreased externalizing problem behaviors but not internalizing problem behaviors
in Japan, and peer social capital has no association on either type of problem behaviors. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the importance of considering social and cultural contexts when exploring how social capital might encourage prosocial child outcomes.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems are associated with a variety of negative child... more Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems are associated with a variety of negative child outcomes, but these conclusions have been drawn from research that usually compares children in families with two biological, married parents to all other family types. We compare behavior problems across two-parent, single-mother, and single-father families, which allows us to explore competing gender theories as possible explanations for why child behavior outcomes may be different across these three categories. Results from analyses of the UK Millennium Cohort Study suggest that while children in both single-mother and single-father families initially look like they experience more behavior problems than those in two-parent families, controlling for physical and, especially, social resources explains potential differences. Similarly, when single mothers and single fathers occupy similar family environments in terms of physical and social resources, their children report similar behav...
Journal of Marriage and Family, Aug 20, 2020
American Behavioral Scientist, Jul 10, 2018
There is a long history in criminology of examining the effects of social bonds on criminal behav... more There is a long history in criminology of examining the effects of social bonds on criminal behavior. A similar conceptual framework that developed in sociology is social capital theory. Studies using these models have addressed the effects of parentchild relationships on adolescent behavior. However, social bond theory tends to predominate as an explanation of juvenile delinquency. We developed a comparative analysis of measures of family social bonds and family social capital using nationally representative data on youth (N = 6,432). Measurement models suggested that family social capital is a more parsimonious latent construct than family social bonds. Moreover, it is a more efficient predictor of delinquent behavior. Thus, we encourage criminologists to adopt family social capital as a promising concept and empirical variable in their quest to understand delinquent behavior.
International Review for the Sociology of Sport, May 22, 2012
Much of the literature on gender inequality in sport is devoted to media bias and conceptualizati... more Much of the literature on gender inequality in sport is devoted to media bias and conceptualizations of masculinity and femininity. In comparison, there is a paucity of empirical research on the sex pay gap. Our case study uses publically accessible data for professional tennis players ranked in the top 100 at the end of the 2009 season to determine to what extent a pay gap exists between men and women. We find that median earnings – both in 2009 and over a player’s career – are substantially higher for men than women in the sample. Net of various productivity measures, the average female player earned less than her male counterpart for every singles tournament won in 2009. We also find that while prize money for men and women is equal in prestigious tournaments such as Grand Slam events, women’s prize money is considerably lower in many of the less publicized tournaments. We submit that the sex pay gap among professional tennis players can be explained in part by productivity in 2009, as well as differential payouts for middle- and low-tier tournaments.
Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Oct 1, 2007
This article focuses on the effect of labor market restrictions on worker dignity during the recr... more This article focuses on the effect of labor market restrictions on worker dignity during the recruitment and hiring processes by examining a labor-market case study in which worker power is severely constrained through industry practices. Specifically, the authors study workers who attempted to gain employment in the National Football League to explore how artificially restricted labor markets limit workers' market power. Findings from extensive field notes, observations of player assessments, and semistructured interviews suggest that although workers possess elite skills necessary for employment, industry restrictions on employees' market power enable employers to demand painful and dehumanizing concessions that seriously challenge workers' dignity. The findings presented here extend previous studies of threats to worker dignity from shop floors and workplaces to labor markets and to elite, highly skilled workers.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Feb 18, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Dec 9, 2022
Deviant Behavior, Jul 29, 2014
We review messaging within automobile advertisements that normalizes and glamorizes reckless driv... more We review messaging within automobile advertisements that normalizes and glamorizes reckless driving behavior. Our content analysis of video advertisements illustrates the use of the automobile in ways that are both illegal and dangerous. Advertisements with hazardous driving images occur more often in our sample than all other types of marketing strategies. Messages include deviance from distributional norms (atypical vehicle use); illegal or immoral driving behaviors that put others at risk; and questionable judgments on the part of manufacturers that use advertisement imagery to increase sales while assuming little of the public costs associated with accidents, injuries, and preventable fatalities on roadways.
Journal of Child and Family Studies, Nov 10, 2017
Research suggests that children of single parents are at heightened risk of precocious sexual beh... more Research suggests that children of single parents are at heightened risk of precocious sexual behavior, STDs, and other risky sexual outcomes. However, few such studies have addressed the type of single-parent family (single mother or single father), or differences across other-sex parent-child dyads. While gender essentialist models assume differences among youth living only with mothers or with fathers, constructivist models propose more flexible modes of parenting that lead to more similar outcomes. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 2570) on youth between the ages of 15 and 19, we compared sexually-related outcomes among adolescents, both boys and girls, who lived with a single mother or a single father. These outcomes include sexual intercourse and knowledge, use of contraception, attitudes toward intimacy and pregnancy, and diagnosis of sexually-transmitted diseases. The results from linear and logistic regression models indicated few differences between single-mother and single-father families, or between same-sex and opposite-sex parent-child matches, using p values of .05 or smaller. Our results called into question essentialist models that posit higher risks for adolescents living with a particular parent or with an opposite-sex parent.
Journal of Drug Issues, Jul 1, 2007
Voluntary job separation, or quitting, occurs for a variety of reasons. Although it is often a po... more Voluntary job separation, or quitting, occurs for a variety of reasons. Although it is often a positive move, it may also lead to periods of unemployment. Studies suggest that one factor that may be implicated in the likelihood of quitting is illicit drug use: Adult drug users may not only quit more frequently but also have a heightened probability of unemployment following a quit. Yet, prior research has not taken a sufficient longitudinal perspective, considered contemporary research on job mobility, nor examined gender differences. We assessed the association using longitudinal data on 8,512 individuals followed from 1984 to 1995. The results indicated that marijuana and cocaine use were associated with a higher probability of quitting. Moreover, marijuana use among males, but not females, was associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing periods of unemployment following a quit. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding gender-distinct patterns of drug use and occupational trajectories.
Qualitative Sociology, Dec 9, 2008
Previous research suggests that minorities are more likely to perceive racially-based discriminat... more Previous research suggests that minorities are more likely to perceive racially-based discrimination in a variety of settings than are whites, in large part because of the ways their personal experiences with racism shape the lens they use to view the world. We examine a labor market that is typically considered an exception to patterns of racism in employment, the industry of professional football. We interview athletes who attempted to gain employment in the National Football League, a labor market where access to valued positions is heavily restricted by industry practices. Findings from field research and semi-structured interviews indicate that minority workers experience symbolic discrimination during the hiring process. Differential treatment of players reflects stereotypes about minority families and masculinity. Although minority and white players describe much of the actual content of their labor market experiences in similar fashion, their perceptions of these experiences differ sharply, with minority athletes identifying far more negative repercussions.
Sociology Compass, 2017
Stratification in opportunities for and attainment of educational credentials, stable and well-pa... more Stratification in opportunities for and attainment of educational credentials, stable and well-paying jobs, wealth, and socioeconomic status causes problems for both individuals and the societies they live in. It is unclear, however, the extent to which important childhood experiences, such as family structure and transitions, shapes opportunity paths and eventual attainment later in adulthood. The intergenerational transmission literature suggests little if any role of family structure in later attainment, while family scholars and demographers find more compelling evidence that childhood family structures and transitions are influential in adulthood. We argue that both perspectives may be identifying selectivity processes that help explain potential links between families of origin and differences in opportunities to attain education, careers, and status. We then provide suggestions for future work in each of these scholarly traditions to help untangle both the degree to which family structure does or does not affect adult attainment and whether selectivity is the key explanation for any such relationships. 1 | INTRODUCTION Stratification in the opportunities to attain educational credentials, good jobs that lead to careers, and the kind of income that can lead to building wealth, as well as in the actual attainment of these resources, is a cause for concern both for individuals and for the communities they live in. For individuals, obstacles created by stratified opportunities may block their ability to attend their dream college, work in their dream job, or buy a home for their family in their dream neighborhood. At their extremes, such stratified opportunities create great stress for individuals who cannot make enough money to support themselves and their families, or who cannot reach the next rung on their career *We thank the following for helpful critique, interesting discussion, and useful suggestions:
Sociology Compass, Sep 1, 2010
Legal interventions have succeeded in creating new opportunities for female athletes, but some ar... more Legal interventions have succeeded in creating new opportunities for female athletes, but some argue that this is at the expense of opportunities for male athletes. In this review, we examine the consequences of a particular legal intervention in sport, the US education law Title IX, for female athletes, male athletes, and the construction of gender. Research indicates that sport participation is linked to important attainment outcomes, such as completing education and receiving higher salaries, for both male and female athletes. In addition, playing sports has several protective effects for women's and girls' mental and physical health. While positive effects for male athletes are important, courts' interpretations of Title IX do not require the elimination of men's opportunities but also do not protect those opportunities in current enforcement. Legal interventions that assure female sports participation also challenge the ways sport is used to create and reproduce definitions of masculinity, exposing dangerous emphases on toughness, aggressiveness, and heterosexual conquest that are damaging to both female and male athletes.
Sociological Perspectives, Mar 1, 2008
Studies imply that family and school resources independently affect delinquency. Yet research has... more Studies imply that family and school resources independently affect delinquency. Yet research has not developed a conceptual or analytic framework for exploring how these variables may interact to affect delinquent behavior. The authors propose that certain family and school variables may serve as substitute or complementary forms of capital in equations designed to predict delinquency. In particular, school capital may substitute for low family capital to decrease involvement in delinquent behavior. Using data from the 1990 National Educational Longitudinal Study and the 1994–1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the authors find that high-quality school environments serve as substitutes for poor parental attachment and a lack of parental involvement in children's schooling, especially among adolescents who experience low academic achievement or report a lack of academic values. Hence, school-based social capital attenuates involvement in delinquency partly by compensating for high-risk family environments.
Family Relations, Feb 20, 2021
ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to determine whether children born to single parents b... more ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to determine whether children born to single parents benefit academically if their parents marry.BackgroundChildren born to single parents have on average worse educational outcomes than peers who live with married parents, but transitions to a married parent family are not well understood.MethodWe use the U.S. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort of 1998 to create two groups of children born to single parents: children who remain in a stable single‐parent family (n = 220) and children whose single parent marries (n = 392). We examine differences in reading and math test scores in context of potential confounding variables.ResultsInitial findings suggest that children born to single parents whose parents marry perform better than do their peers in stable single‐parent families, but this effect disappears when controls for financial and human capital, race, and stress are included.ConclusionFinancial and human capital resources explain the perceived benefit of parent marriage, suggesting benefits of marriage accrue due to selectivity factors among parents more likely to marry. Other factors, such as stress, race, and number of siblings, play a role.ImplicationsDetermining the nature of the link between parental marriage and educational outcomes has important policy implications as to whether marriage should be promoted as an educational benefit to children.
Social currents, Jul 5, 2019
The Internet provides individuals with new avenues for knowledge sharing and collaboration, two k... more The Internet provides individuals with new avenues for knowledge sharing and collaboration, two key ingredients for the production of novelty. Despite the unprecedented access to information and potential collaborators provided by the Internet, however, organizations remain the preeminent site of invention, presumably due to the tremendous resources, technology, and expertise at their disposal. Given the presumption that improved access to the Internet cultivates connectivity and novelty among individuals, on one hand, and the resources organizations can leverage to create novelty, on the other hand, we ask whether Internet access plays a role in the incidence of collective invention for independent inventors and organizational inventors in the knowledge economy. Regression models based on a sample of metropolitan areas in the United States predict that increases in household Internet access increases collective invention for organizational patent inventors, but not independent patent inventors.
Sociological focus, Oct 1, 1997
... A November 15, 1994, Nike ad using Reggie White as endorser is a classic example of body diss... more ... A November 15, 1994, Nike ad using Reggie White as endorser is a classic example of body dissection and resulting ... In a more recent study, Wilson and Sparks interviewed black and nonblack youths concerning television commercials starring professional ath-letes and found ...
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Papers by Mikaela J. Dufur
long-term negative outcomes. Research has found that family and peer social capital have a strong influence on child behavioral outcomes. However, most research about social capital and child behavior problems has been conducted in Western contexts. Social capital may influence child
behavior problems differently in non-Western sociocultural environments due to different family and peer dynamics. Methods: Using a sample from the Japan Household Panel Survey and Japan Child Panel Survey (N = 182), we expand this literature on various forms of social capital to the Japanese context with data that were collected between 2009 and 2014. We examine the relationship of family and peer social capital with children internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors using OLS linear regression. Results: Our results differ from what is commonly found in Western contexts. Whereas family and peer social capital are typically associated with both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in Western countries, we find that greater family social capital is associated with decreased externalizing problem behaviors but not internalizing problem behaviors
in Japan, and peer social capital has no association on either type of problem behaviors. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the importance of considering social and cultural contexts when exploring how social capital might encourage prosocial child outcomes.
long-term negative outcomes. Research has found that family and peer social capital have a strong influence on child behavioral outcomes. However, most research about social capital and child behavior problems has been conducted in Western contexts. Social capital may influence child
behavior problems differently in non-Western sociocultural environments due to different family and peer dynamics. Methods: Using a sample from the Japan Household Panel Survey and Japan Child Panel Survey (N = 182), we expand this literature on various forms of social capital to the Japanese context with data that were collected between 2009 and 2014. We examine the relationship of family and peer social capital with children internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors using OLS linear regression. Results: Our results differ from what is commonly found in Western contexts. Whereas family and peer social capital are typically associated with both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in Western countries, we find that greater family social capital is associated with decreased externalizing problem behaviors but not internalizing problem behaviors
in Japan, and peer social capital has no association on either type of problem behaviors. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the importance of considering social and cultural contexts when exploring how social capital might encourage prosocial child outcomes.