How Parental Disability Impacts Child Paid and Unpaid Work: A Cross-National Analysis from 34 Countries

Anna Bolgrien, University of Minnesota
Tara Casebolt, Loyola University

While statistics about prevalence of disability show that 16% of the world’s population have a disability, little is known regarding how many persons with disabilities are parents. In this study, we look at how families and households manage intergenerational responsibilities of children and adolescents when a parent has a disability. As much of the literature focuses on family caregiving from parents of their children with disabilities, this research shifts the focus on how young people may be engaging in labor force or unpaid household work to support their households. We use UNICEF MICS data for 34 countries to estimate the proportion of children age 5-17 living with a biological parent(s) with a disability. Using multilevel logistic regression, we find the odds of children engaging in labor force work and/or unpaid household chores are significantly higher for children with a parent with a disability. Next steps of this study will look at gender, age, and intensity differences in work and chore participation as well as how household composition may support persons with disabilities and their children. This research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how disability shapes child labor and caregiving roles, thereby informing targeted interventions to support families.

Keywords: Health and Morbidity, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations, Families, Unions and Households

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