Single Parenthood and the Poverty Debate: How Pathways and Policies Explain Cross‐National Differences

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to reveal the heterogeneity of single parents by focusing on the variation in poverty risks across countries and across pathways into single parenthood. It also adjudicates between two contrasting explanations for cross‐national variation in single parent poverty. Background Single parenthood's strong association with poverty has long been established in both public discourse and academic research, particularly in the context of the United States. However, the reasons for cross‐national differences in single‐parent poverty are unclear, with both institutional and individual perspectives offering credible arguments. Method This study uses longitudinal panel data from the Cross‐National Equivalent File from five countries (Australia, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and the US) to address two competing explanations for cross‐national differences in single‐parent poverty: (1) variation in pathways into single parenthood (never marrying, divorce, widowhood, and separation) and (2) differences in policy. Results The research reveals substantial disparities in the prevalence of single parenthood across countries and time and exposes large heterogeneity in poverty outcomes by pathway into single parenthood. However, a decomposition analysis shows that policy remains the factor accounting for most of the cross‐national differences in poverty among single parents. Conclusion Although pathways into single parenthood matter a lot in predicting poverty within countries, variation in social policy remains the most important factor in explaining cross‐national differences in single‐parent poverty.