This dissertation presents four empirical studies in which the heterogeneity in family composition and contact patterns is used to increase our understanding of the transmission process and the divorce penalty. I participated in collecting a new dataset specifically designed to capture the complexities of divorced families and stepfamilies: Parents and Children in the Netherlands (OKiN).

The findings can be summarized in three main conclusions. First, based on extensive research on the role of exposure, I do not find any evidence that the timing of divorce or the years in coresidence alter the intergenerational transmission of educational attainment. In contrast, nonresidential contact and involvement seem to be strong determinants of the transmission process. Second, the findings suggest that stepparents can play a vital, in some cases even a central role in the intergenerational transmission of educational attainment. Third, interdependencies in the stepfamily network shape the dominance of parents in the intergenerational transmission of educational attainment. The role of the stepfather in the transmission process increases if the biological father has limited contact with the child. Additionally, the transmission does not solely depend on the relationship between a parent and the child of interest, but also on the presence of siblings and their relationship with the parent.

Leeuw, S. G. de (2021). The intergenerational transmission of educational attainment after divorce and remarriage. Dissertation, University of Amsterdam, handle:11245.1/4c803298-177f-46fb-9973-2abd651ecf86.