rowth of female-headed families. Return to Table of ContentsConclusionIn conclusion, both the descriptive and the regression results offer some support for the two main hypotheses. Using cross-sectional descriptive statistics it is apparent that there was a transformation in the economies of large U. S . cities during the 1 970's and 1 980's .Manufacturing industries declined while service industries grew. In addition, unemployment rates nearly doubled. These results lend support to the first hypothesis concerning the relationship between the transformation of the economy and employment dislocation. Secondly, results of decade regression models suggest that male unemployment had a positive effect on the growth of female-headed families in both 1980 and 1990. In addition, using a stacked data file, this unemployment effect remained statistically significant even when decade changes were controlled. Thus, indicating support for the second hypothesis that by 1980, employment dislocation (or male unemployment) was an important source of growth in female-headed families. In sum, support was found for Wilson's arguments concerning the role the transformation of the economy has played in the growth of female-headed families. Male unemployment rates have increased in large cities in the last two decades. At the same time, these unemployment rates have contributed to the growth in female-headed families. Return to Table of Contents...
