Cynthia Osborne
Biographic Data
| ID | 3596880 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Cynthia Osborne |
| GIVEN NAMES | Cynthia |
| FAMILY NAME | Osborne |
| SIGNATURE | OSBORNE C |
| AFFILIATIONS | The University of Texas at Austin |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1734-2720 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 460 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 9 |
Within-State Variation in Infant and Toddler Care Access
Many families with infants and toddlers in the US face low access to high-quality, affordable child care. To enact policy solutions, policymakers need timely information on child care access and how that access varies within states. To understand the current landscape of access to child care for infants and toddlers, we leverage multiple data sources from a single state, Texas, to describe regional variation in infant and toddler care access acro…
The effects of home visiting on birth outcomes and perinatal health behaviors
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a rigorously evaluated home visiting program that serves first-time, low-income mothers. The current study compares perinatal outcomes of NFP participants to matched non-participants and estimates heterogeneous program effects by participant race and ethnicity. A cohort of mothers enrolled in NFP between 2009 and 2019 was compared to a comparison group of similarly situated first-time mothers using Texas Departme…
Engaging fathers
The influence of field-based training on caseworker turnover
Mom, I’m Pregnant”
The pregnancy reveal is conventionally a celebratory occasion, but for a pregnant adolescent, sharing news of a pregnancy, particularly with parents, can be a daunting prospect. Nonetheless, given the importance of social support to pregnant and parenting adolescents' success, the pregnancy reveal is an important step toward making healthy pregnancy decisions. Drawing on data from 27 in-depth interviews with young parents in Texas who were peer e…
Who gets a Casa? Selective characteristics of children appointed a Casa advocate
Family Instability, Multipartner Fertility, and Behavior in Middle Childhood
Two concepts capture the dynamic and complex nature of contemporary family structure: family instability and multipartner fertility. Although these circumstances are likely to co-occur, their respective literatures have proceeded largely independently. The authors used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,062) to consider these dimensions of dynamic family structure together, asking whether they independently predict ch…
Teacher Preparation for Profit or Prestige
With increasing awareness of the importance of teacher quality for student learning, education policy leaders have turned their attention to the nation's teacher training programs as a potential target for reform. One proposed strategy is to increase competition for university-based programs by encouraging new program types. This study examines the relative effectiveness of universities and new program types using the diverse market in Texas. We …
The Politics and Statistics of Value-Added Modeling for Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs
Despite questions about validity and reliability, the use of value-added estimation methods has moved beyond academic research into state accountability systems for teachers, schools, and teacher preparation programs (TPPs). Prior studies of value-added measurement for TPPs test the validity of researcher-designed models and find that measuring differences across programs is difficult. This study is the first to examine the reliability and useful…
Further comments on the papers by Marks and Regnerus
Family Structure Transitions and Changes in Maternal Resources and Well-being
This article uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine whether family instability is associated with changes in perceived social support, material hardship, maternal depression, and parenting stress among mothers of young children. In addition to accounting for the number of transitions that a mother experiences during the first five years of her child’s life, we pay close attention to the type and timing of these t…
Partnership Instability, School Readiness, and Gender Disparities
Trends in family formation during the past several decades have increased children's exposure to mothers' partnership instability, defined as an entrance into or exit from a coresidential union or a dating partnership. Instability, in turn, is associated with negative outcomes for children and adolescents. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine associations between mothers' partnership instability and …
The influence of union instability and union quality on children's aggressive behavior
Parental Substance Abuse and Child Well-Being
Parental substance abuse is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes for children. Existing research, however, has not fully explored the relative magnitude of the associations between maternal, paternal, and both parents' substance abuse and child outcomes, nor has it examined these associations in regard to substance abuse among nonresident fathers. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 3,027) to…
Parenting Practices of Resident Fathers
This paper uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N= 2,098) to examine differences in the parenting practices of four types of resident fathers, defined by their biological relationship to a focal child and their marital status with regard to the focal child's mother. Regression results suggest that biological fathers and social fathers (i.e., stepfathers or mothers' cohabiting partners) differ significantly, and in some u…
Family economic well-being following the 1996 welfare reform
Work, welfare, and young children's health and behavior in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Married and Cohabiting Parents' Relationship Stability
We draw on three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N=2,249) to examine family stability among a recent birth cohort of children. We find that children born to cohabiting versus married parents have over five times the risk of experiencing their parents' separation. This difference in union stability is greatest for White children, as compared with Black or Mexican American children. For White children, differences in parents' education levels,…
Partnership Instability and Child Well-Being
We use data from three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N= 2,111) to examine the prevalence and effects of mothers' partnership changes between birth and age 3 on children's behavior. We find that children born to unmarried and minority parents experience significantly more partnership changes than children born to parents who are married or White. Each transition is associated with a modest increase in behavioral problems, but a significant …
Special Reviewers
Marriage following the birth of a child among cohabiting and visiting parents
Approximately half of nonmarital births are to mothers in cohabiting relationships, and an additional 30% are to mothers in visiting relationships. I use data (N= 1,945) from the Fragile Families Study to investigate whether the determinants of marriage in the year following a child's birth are similar for cohabiting and visiting parents. The results show that mothers' education is predictive of marriage for cohabiting parents, whereas mothers' e…
Partnership Instability and Child Well-Being
We use data from three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N= 2,111) to examine the prevalence and effects of mothers' partnership changes between birth and age 3 on children's behavior. We find that children born to unmarried and minority parents experience significantly more partnership changes than children born to parents who are married or White. Each transition is associated with a modest increase in behavioral problems, but a significant …
Married and Cohabiting Parents' Relationship Stability
We draw on three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N=2,249) to examine family stability among a recent birth cohort of children. We find that children born to cohabiting versus married parents have over five times the risk of experiencing their parents' separation. This difference in union stability is greatest for White children, as compared with Black or Mexican American children. For White children, differences in parents' education levels,…
Partnership Instability, School Readiness, and Gender Disparities
Trends in family formation during the past several decades have increased children's exposure to mothers' partnership instability, defined as an entrance into or exit from a coresidential union or a dating partnership. Instability, in turn, is associated with negative outcomes for children and adolescents. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine associations between mothers' partnership instability and …
Parenting Practices of Resident Fathers
This paper uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N= 2,098) to examine differences in the parenting practices of four types of resident fathers, defined by their biological relationship to a focal child and their marital status with regard to the focal child's mother. Regression results suggest that biological fathers and social fathers (i.e., stepfathers or mothers' cohabiting partners) differ significantly, and in some u…
Family Structure Transitions and Changes in Maternal Resources and Well-being
This article uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine whether family instability is associated with changes in perceived social support, material hardship, maternal depression, and parenting stress among mothers of young children. In addition to accounting for the number of transitions that a mother experiences during the first five years of her child’s life, we pay close attention to the type and timing of these t…
Marriage following the birth of a child among cohabiting and visiting parents
Approximately half of nonmarital births are to mothers in cohabiting relationships, and an additional 30% are to mothers in visiting relationships. I use data (N= 1,945) from the Fragile Families Study to investigate whether the determinants of marriage in the year following a child's birth are similar for cohabiting and visiting parents. The results show that mothers' education is predictive of marriage for cohabiting parents, whereas mothers' e…
Parental Substance Abuse and Child Well-Being
Parental substance abuse is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes for children. Existing research, however, has not fully explored the relative magnitude of the associations between maternal, paternal, and both parents' substance abuse and child outcomes, nor has it examined these associations in regard to substance abuse among nonresident fathers. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 3,027) to…
The influence of union instability and union quality on children's aggressive behavior
Family Instability, Multipartner Fertility, and Behavior in Middle Childhood
Two concepts capture the dynamic and complex nature of contemporary family structure: family instability and multipartner fertility. Although these circumstances are likely to co-occur, their respective literatures have proceeded largely independently. The authors used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,062) to consider these dimensions of dynamic family structure together, asking whether they independently predict ch…
Family economic well-being following the 1996 welfare reform
The Politics and Statistics of Value-Added Modeling for Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs
Despite questions about validity and reliability, the use of value-added estimation methods has moved beyond academic research into state accountability systems for teachers, schools, and teacher preparation programs (TPPs). Prior studies of value-added measurement for TPPs test the validity of researcher-designed models and find that measuring differences across programs is difficult. This study is the first to examine the reliability and useful…
Work, welfare, and young children's health and behavior in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Teacher Preparation for Profit or Prestige
With increasing awareness of the importance of teacher quality for student learning, education policy leaders have turned their attention to the nation's teacher training programs as a potential target for reform. One proposed strategy is to increase competition for university-based programs by encouraging new program types. This study examines the relative effectiveness of universities and new program types using the diverse market in Texas. We …
Mom, I’m Pregnant”
The pregnancy reveal is conventionally a celebratory occasion, but for a pregnant adolescent, sharing news of a pregnancy, particularly with parents, can be a daunting prospect. Nonetheless, given the importance of social support to pregnant and parenting adolescents' success, the pregnancy reveal is an important step toward making healthy pregnancy decisions. Drawing on data from 27 in-depth interviews with young parents in Texas who were peer e…
Who gets a Casa? Selective characteristics of children appointed a Casa advocate
Special Reviewers
Marriage following the birth of a child among cohabiting and visiting parents
Approximately half of nonmarital births are to mothers in cohabiting relationships, and an additional 30% are to mothers in visiting relationships. I use data (N= 1,945) from the Fragile Families Study to investigate whether the determinants of marriage in the year following a child's birth are similar for cohabiting and visiting parents. The results show that mothers' education is predictive of marriage for cohabiting parents, whereas mothers' e…
Family economic well-being following the 1996 welfare reform
Work, welfare, and young children's health and behavior in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Married and Cohabiting Parents' Relationship Stability
We draw on three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N=2,249) to examine family stability among a recent birth cohort of children. We find that children born to cohabiting versus married parents have over five times the risk of experiencing their parents' separation. This difference in union stability is greatest for White children, as compared with Black or Mexican American children. For White children, differences in parents' education levels,…
Partnership Instability and Child Well-Being
We use data from three waves of the Fragile Families Study (N= 2,111) to examine the prevalence and effects of mothers' partnership changes between birth and age 3 on children's behavior. We find that children born to unmarried and minority parents experience significantly more partnership changes than children born to parents who are married or White. Each transition is associated with a modest increase in behavioral problems, but a significant …
Parenting Practices of Resident Fathers
This paper uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N= 2,098) to examine differences in the parenting practices of four types of resident fathers, defined by their biological relationship to a focal child and their marital status with regard to the focal child's mother. Regression results suggest that biological fathers and social fathers (i.e., stepfathers or mothers' cohabiting partners) differ significantly, and in some u…
Parental Substance Abuse and Child Well-Being
Parental substance abuse is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes for children. Existing research, however, has not fully explored the relative magnitude of the associations between maternal, paternal, and both parents' substance abuse and child outcomes, nor has it examined these associations in regard to substance abuse among nonresident fathers. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 3,027) to…
The influence of union instability and union quality on children's aggressive behavior
Partnership Instability, School Readiness, and Gender Disparities
Trends in family formation during the past several decades have increased children's exposure to mothers' partnership instability, defined as an entrance into or exit from a coresidential union or a dating partnership. Instability, in turn, is associated with negative outcomes for children and adolescents. This study uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine associations between mothers' partnership instability and …
Further comments on the papers by Marks and Regnerus
Family Structure Transitions and Changes in Maternal Resources and Well-being
This article uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine whether family instability is associated with changes in perceived social support, material hardship, maternal depression, and parenting stress among mothers of young children. In addition to accounting for the number of transitions that a mother experiences during the first five years of her child’s life, we pay close attention to the type and timing of these t…
The Politics and Statistics of Value-Added Modeling for Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs
Despite questions about validity and reliability, the use of value-added estimation methods has moved beyond academic research into state accountability systems for teachers, schools, and teacher preparation programs (TPPs). Prior studies of value-added measurement for TPPs test the validity of researcher-designed models and find that measuring differences across programs is difficult. This study is the first to examine the reliability and useful…
Teacher Preparation for Profit or Prestige
With increasing awareness of the importance of teacher quality for student learning, education policy leaders have turned their attention to the nation's teacher training programs as a potential target for reform. One proposed strategy is to increase competition for university-based programs by encouraging new program types. This study examines the relative effectiveness of universities and new program types using the diverse market in Texas. We …
Family Instability, Multipartner Fertility, and Behavior in Middle Childhood
Two concepts capture the dynamic and complex nature of contemporary family structure: family instability and multipartner fertility. Although these circumstances are likely to co-occur, their respective literatures have proceeded largely independently. The authors used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,062) to consider these dimensions of dynamic family structure together, asking whether they independently predict ch…
Who gets a Casa? Selective characteristics of children appointed a Casa advocate
The influence of field-based training on caseworker turnover
Mom, I’m Pregnant”
The pregnancy reveal is conventionally a celebratory occasion, but for a pregnant adolescent, sharing news of a pregnancy, particularly with parents, can be a daunting prospect. Nonetheless, given the importance of social support to pregnant and parenting adolescents' success, the pregnancy reveal is an important step toward making healthy pregnancy decisions. Drawing on data from 27 in-depth interviews with young parents in Texas who were peer e…
Engaging fathers
Within-State Variation in Infant and Toddler Care Access
Many families with infants and toddlers in the US face low access to high-quality, affordable child care. To enact policy solutions, policymakers need timely information on child care access and how that access varies within states. To understand the current landscape of access to child care for infants and toddlers, we leverage multiple data sources from a single state, Texas, to describe regional variation in infant and toddler care access acro…
The effects of home visiting on birth outcomes and perinatal health behaviors
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a rigorously evaluated home visiting program that serves first-time, low-income mothers. The current study compares perinatal outcomes of NFP participants to matched non-participants and estimates heterogeneous program effects by participant race and ethnicity. A cohort of mothers enrolled in NFP between 2009 and 2019 was compared to a comparison group of similarly situated first-time mothers using Texas Departme…
Psychology (17 works) · Developmental psychology (14 works) · Family Dynamics and Relationships (13 works) · Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (10 works) · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving (10 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Demography (8 works) · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Demography (7 works)