Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2008 Dec;82(4):579-614.
doi: 10.1086/597349.

Welfare Program Implementation and Parents' Depression

Pamela A Morris  1
Affiliations

Welfare Program Implementation and Parents' Depression

Pamela A Morris. Soc Serv Rev. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

This study examines how the frontline practices in welfare offices explain variation in program impacts on parents' depression. The study uses data from four large-scale experimental studies and conducts multilevel statistical modeling on 6,761 families in 22 local welfare offices. Analyses examine the ways that two program implementation practices (emphasis on quick job entry and personal client attention) are associated with program impacts on parents' depressive symptoms. Effects vary by the age composition of the parents' children, such that programmatic emphasis on quick job entry is associated with increases in depression among parents with preschool-age children but not among parents with school-age children. Findings have implications for research, policy, and practice.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Impact estimates on risk for depression by office. Note.—OLS = ordinary least squares regression.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Estimated impacts on depression risk by level of emphasis on quick job entry
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Estimated impacts on depression risk by level of emphasis on quick job entry and age composition of children.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ahluwalia Surjeet K., McGroder Sharon M., Zaslow Martha J., Hair Elizabeth C. Research Brief. Child Trends. Washington, DC: Dec, 2001. Symptoms of Depression among Welfare Recipients: A Concern for Two Generations.
    1. Bane Mary Jo. Welfare Reform and Mandatory versus Voluntary Work: Policy Issue or Management Problem? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. 1989;8(2):285–89.
    1. Bloom Dan, Andes Mary, Nicholson Claudia. Report. Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation. New York: Jul, 1998. Jobs First: Early Implementation of Connecticut's Welfare Reform Initiative.
    1. Bloom Dan, Kemple James J., Morris Pamela A., Scrivener Susan, Verma Nandita, Hendra Richard, Adams-Ciardullo Diana, Seith David, Walter Johanna. Report. Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation. New York: Dec, 2000. The Family Transition Program: Final Report on Florida's Initial Time-Limited Welfare Program.
    1. Bloom Dan, Scrivener Susan, Michalopoulos Charles, Morris Pamela A., Hendra Richard, Adams-Ciardullo Diane, Walter Johanna, Vargas Wanda. Report. Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation. New York: Feb, 2002. Jobs First: Final Report on Connecticut's Welfare Reform Initiative.

LinkOut - more resources