Do They Have to Live Here, Too?: Co-Resident Sibling Composition and the Academic Outcomes of Youth

Kathryn Harker Tillman, Florida State University

This paper examines the effects of sibling composition on the college expectations, grades, and school-related behavior of American adolescents. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, analyzes will determine whether the presence of non-traditional siblings (half- and/or step-siblings) is associated with poorer academic outcomes for youth in all types of family structures, or only for those in stepfamilies, and whether the disadvantages associated with non-traditional siblings are conditioned by the age and gender of the siblings involved. Additionally, analyzes will attempt to explicate the mechanisms underlying sibling composition effects, paying special attention to family relationships and processes.