Employment, Economic Hardship, and Sources of Assistance in Low-Income, Single-Mother Families Before Versus During and After the Great Recession

Abstract

Using two samples of low-income, single-mother families from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study examined differences in employment status before versus during and after the Great Recession. The authors also examined economic hardship and receipt of government and private assistance based on mothers' employment status within and between the two samples. During and after the Great Recession, experiencing certain employment problems is more common than in the prerecession months. However, in both periods, these families are vulnerable to economic problems, and receipt of public benefits is more common than private assistance. These findings vary by mothers' employment status.