Program Participation
Income, Assets & Program Participation
Program Participation
Young Women Program Participation Variables
Data on public assistance (government program participation) income sources were collected in each survey year; sources generally include public assistance/welfare, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)/Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), food stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and public housing. Users should be aware that not only is there considerable variation across years in the types of public assistance income sources for which data were collected but also that universes (all family members, any family member, respondent and spouse, respondent only, spouse only), reporting periods (past calendar year, previous 12 months, most recent month), and question wording can differ substantially from year to year. Table YW1 presents these variations.
Beginning in 1978, data were collected on the number of months in the past year the respondent or husband/partner received each type of assistance. In 1978, 1983, and 1988-2003, respondents also reported the monthly average welfare (AFDC) income and monthly average SSI income they received.
Table YW1. Public Assistance Questions by Survey Year, Type of Assistance, Reference Period & Universe
| Survey Year | Type of Assistance | Reference Period | Universe | ||||
| AFDC/TANF | Welfare / Public Assistance | Food Stamps | SSI / Public Assistance | Public Housing | |||
| 1968 | -- | R00371.00 | -- | -- | -- | Past Calendar Year | Family Members |
| 1969 | -- | R01134.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1970 | -- | R01932.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1971 | -- | R03088.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1972 | -- | R03926.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1973 | -- | R04752.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1975 | -- | R05334.00 | -- | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | Family Members |
| 1977 | -- | R05835.00 | R05836.00 | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Family Members |
| 1978 | R06752.00 | -- | R06748.00 | R06755.00 | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband |
| 1980 | -- | R07485.00 | R07482.00 | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband |
| 1982 | -- | R07956.00 | R07953.00 | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband |
| 1983 | R09079.00 | -- | R09076.00 | R09082.00 | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1985 | -- | R10482.00 | R10479.00 | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1987 | -- | R10943.00 | R10940.00 | -- | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1988 | R12021.00 | -- | R12018.00 | R12024.00 | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1991 | R13344.00 | -- | R13341.00 | R13347.00 | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1993 | R15155.00 | -- | R15152.00 | R15158.00 | -- | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1995 | R33968.00-R33970.00 | -- | R33965.00-R33967.00 | R33971.00-R33973.00 | R33822.00 | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1997 | R41618.00-R41620.00 | -- | R41615.00-R41617.00 | R41621.00-R41623.00 | R41472.00 | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 1999 | R51207.00-R51209.00 | -- | R51204.00-R51206.00 | R51210.00-R51212.00 | R51054.00 | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 2001 | R62130.00-R62132.00 | -- | R62127.00-R62129.00 | R62133.00-R62135.00 | R61986.00 | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
| 2003 | R73210.00-R73212.00 | -- | R73207.00-R73209.00 | R73213.00-R73215.00 | R73060.00 | Previous 12 Months | R/Husband/Partner |
Related Variables: From 1968 to 1973, two variables were constructed in each survey year: the percent of eligible welfare (AFDC) recipients in the respondent's state of residence who were receiving welfare and the average monthly welfare (AFDC) payment for the respondent's state of residence.
Survey Instruments: The "Assets and Income" or "Income" sections of the questionnaires contain the questions on public assistance income sources.
User Notes
NLS interviews also collect data on Unemployment Insurance, Workers' Compensation, Disability, and Social Security; none of these sources of income are considered here as part of "public assistance." The Social Security & Disability section describes some of these additional income sources.