Living in single-parent families and the human capital achievement by children aged 15-19 years in Iran

Using the data from the Time Use Survey conducted on Iranian urban households during 2008-2009, this paper examines the effect of family type (single-parent or two-parent) on the amount of time spent, by children, on activities related to human capital. Target population includes unmarried children, aged 15-19 years, living in Iranian urban households. Relevant literature shows that children in single-parent families (either by divorce or the death of a parent) experience more difficulties and barriers towards human capital achievement. Findings show that children in single-parent families have higher levels of dropout and their level of human capital attainment is significantly lower than that of their counterparts in two-parent families. By controlling independent variables especially parental care and supervising activities at home, the negative effect of the family type disappears. Therefore, such family will exert its effect on children's achievement mainly through decreasing parent-child relationship, reducing opportunities for parents to engage in home affairs, and losing parents' supervision over their children's activities. Such negative effect can have important consequences and implications for educational attainment of children in Iran as the country is experiencing a high level of divorce now.