The costs of having a first child for women aged 33–38, Canada 1991

This research is placed within the framework of the second demographic transition. The focus of the paper is on Canadian women aged 33–38 who began childbearing relatively late in the reproductive years. These women are compared to both single and ever-married or cohabiting women in the same age group who have no children on a series of cultural and economic variables (N= 9682). Approximately 10% of the sample consists of visible minorities. The results indicate that women with young children aged 2–5 present in the home (and no other children present) are disadvantaged in terms of economic outcome, especially labor force participation, full-time work, and income. The findings suggest that having a first child even at an older reproductive age results in women bearing a major opportunity cost for that fertility. Implications are discussed in the context of alternative childrearing behaviors.     

Adolescent marriage and childbearing: the long-term economic outcome, Canada in the 1980s

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term economic outcomes (education, labor force participation, occupation, and income) associated with female adolescent marriage and childbearing. The 1981 Canadian census is the data source for all women in Canada at age 30, controlling for age at marriage and at first birth. The data suggest that women at age 30 in Canada are in the best economic circumstances when they remain single or when they marry at age 20 or older and either remain childless or begin their childbearing at age 25 or older. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Assessment of a practice effect in serial sensory organization testing scores of healthy adults

This study assessed whether a practice effect occurs across five serial administrations of the sensory organization test. Composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores from 30 healthy volunteers (M age=36.9, SD = 12.2 yr.) performing each of the six test conditions were examined using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Analysis yielded a significant interaction between testing condition and time, as well as significant main effects for both condition and time. Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences among test conditions and the first and second times of test administration. Analysis of simple effects between the two administrations identified significant increases in composite equilibrium scores and mean equilibrium scores on two sway-referenced support surface conditions, vision removed and sway-referenced visual surround. An immediate increase in equilibrium scores suggests clinicians and researchers allow one pracatice trial before recording test scores for baseline measurements.