Re: Measuring income access, assets and earning potential

[jhussey@xxxxxxxxxxx (Jon Hussey)]

Carolyn,

I suggest you look at Kathryn Edin and Laura Lein's 1997 book "Making Ends Meet:
How Single Mothers Survive Welfare and Low-Wage Work."  See especially p. 158,
where they discuss how mothers who rely on male partners for income must sometimes
choose between "danger and destitution," and Appendix A, which includes a host of
interview measures related to family finances.  Kathy Edin can be contacted at the
Dept of Sociology, Univ. of Pennsylvania.

Good luck!

==================================
Jon M. Hussey, PhD, MPH
Dept of Maternal and Child Health
CB# 7400 Rosenau Hall
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400

PH: 919-966-3779
FAX: 919-966-0458

-- Begin original message --

> From: carolyn hartley <carolyn-hartley@uiowa.edu>
> Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 16:07:58 -0600
> Subject: Measuring income access, assets and earning potential
> To: Child Maltreatment Researchers <CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu>
> 
> I do research in the area of the co-occurrence of domestic violence and
> child maltreatment.  I am trying to understand the barriers women face in
> leaving an abusive relationship, particularly when children are also
> being abused in the family.  
> 
> 
> I want to look at how a lack of income may pose a barrier to women
> leaving, and want to expand my measurement of income beyond simply asking
> about the amount of personal or family income.  More specifically, I am
> looking for literature, instruments and/or ideas for measuring "income
> access, assets and earning potential."   
> 
> 
> By <underline>income access</underline>, I mean a person's actual access
> to family income.  For example, a domestic abuse victim may report
> $60,000 as her family income, but she personally may not have full access
> to that money.  
> 
> 
> I am thinking of <underline>income assets</underline> as follows - if an
> abuse victim decides to leave the abusive relationship and set up a new 
> residence, does she have the money for a security deposit and first
> months rent, to hire movers, set up utility service; can she take
> furniture and household items with her, etc.
> 
> 
> Regarding <underline>income earning potential</underline> - I am looking
> for measures of a person's perception of his/her ability to earn a
> sufficient income for their current life circumstances (e.g., single
> parent supporting two kids).  Income earning potential might include
> level of education, past work history, job training, access to
> transportation to a job site, access to adequate child care if needed,
> money to buy work clothes, etc. 
> 
> 
> Does anyone know of any existing measures or literature on measuring
> income that goes beyond a monetary value of family income?
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> Carolyn Copps Hartley, Ph.D.
> 
> Assistant Professor
> 
> University of Iowa
> 
> School of Social Work
> 
> 308 North Hall
> 
> Iowa City, IA 52242
> 

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