Leah Hamilton

Examining Relationships Between Financial Capital and Personal Well-Being

Researchers have traditionally examined economic well-being with income data, yet recent findings indicate positive effects of assets on well-being, independent from income. For this study, baseline data from 904 low-income individuals were used to examine relationships between income, assets, and personal, social, and economic outcomes. Baseline findings indicate that financial assets did not influence perceptions of self-efficacy, economic strain, or social support. However, an individuals age was associated with perceived outcomes, with increased age leading to decreased support and self-efficacy and increased economic strain. A discussion of findings and implications of this research for community-based strategies is provided.

Shelter From the Storm: TANF, Assets, and the Great Recession

A growing body of literature suggests that asset limits in public assistance are associated with low savings rates among low-income families. Several states have begun eliminating or significantly increasing asset limits in an attempt to address potential disincentives. The primary concern for other states, however, appears to be the possibility that caseloads would increase to unsustainable levels, especially in times of economic recession. Five states that eliminated or increased asset limits during the Great Recession were analyzed for changes in caseload size after the rule change. Results suggest that there is no significant relationship between asset limits and caseload size.

Preparing Children for Success: Parents’ Perspectives on Promoting Savings and Education

Many states are implementing asset development strategies to promote postsecondary education for low- to moderate-income families, realizing that limited education is a powerful predictor of poverty, and poverty mediates the likelihood of obtaining postsecondary education. Using demographic and qualitative data collected from two groups of low- to moderate-income parents (N = 24), this article highlights two programs that promote savings and increase post-secondary education for these children and families. The 21st Century Scholars Program targets youths, and the complementary Educational Development Accounts program targets their parents. This article also explores perspectives of the participants’ experiences, beliefs, and perceptions relative to savings and education and the success of their children in these areas. It concludes with implications for asset-building programs and policy whose aim is to assist low- to moderate-income families in achieving economic and educational mobility and implications for social welfare policy.

“It’s All About Security to Me”: The Role of Environment in Youth Financial Literacy and Savings Behaviors

This qualitative study explores financial behavior and expectations in families of origin in addition to youth financial education and savings behaviors. The authors interviewed 14 youths, aged 17 to 19 years, whose families had low incomes, education levels, and savings rates and who participated in a youth-based financial education and dedicated savings program and present key themes and subthemes that were revealed during data analysis. Findings suggest that, rather than replicating the behavior of their parents and experiencing the same financial struggles, the youths interviewed were motivated by a desire to avoid these challenges. However, youths in this study also noted that they experienced social and economic barriers that their higher income peers did not. Policy, practice, and research implications of these findings are discussed.

Student Attitudes Toward Poverty in a Social Welfare Policy Course: Online Versus Face to Face

The growth of online higher education has presented important questions for social workers in academia. Can a human-based profession be properly taught online? In macro courses, are social work students able to gain a complex understanding of human experience, social justice, and oppression without the benefit of face-to-face debate and dialogue? In an undergraduate social welfare policy course, pre and post anonymous opinions surveys were collected on the causes of poverty. Students in both a face-to-face and an online course section, were asked to rate their agreement with the statements “Poverty is usually caused by individual actions” and “Poverty is usually caused by societal actions.” While no statistically significant changes appeared for face-to-face students, online students were more likely to decrease blame for individual actions and increased attribution for societal actions at posttest. Reasons for this difference will be discussed, including the possible role of peer influence in face-to-face course sessions.

Cohabitation and Marital Status

Household economic decisions have historically been viewed through a patriarchal lens; however, using empowerment theory, the effects and implications of economic resources in the lives of low-income individuals are being reexamined and reconstructed. No longer is it sufficient to view economic resources or intimate partner violence (IPV) from a one- dimensional perspective; a holistic, multi-dimensional approach examining the complexities of economic resources and IPV must be viewed from the inequities that arise from social, economic and cultural power imbalances. Research studies have traditionally examined the relationship between household income and only the physical abuse component of IPV. In more recent research, after controlling for income, household financial assets are also found to be associated with various measures of personal well-being. Yet little information is available regarding the correlation between income, financial assets and intimate partner violence. Given the importance of a variety of variables on a woman’s decision to leave an abusive relationship, it is important to examine these relationships. Data from a bi-state longitudinal study of 904 low-income individuals were used to assess the relationship between household assets and IPV outcomes. Findings indicate that personal income, assets in the form of savings, marital status, household composition, and housing status are significantly related to differential reports of IPV. Implications for this research are discussed.