ABSTRACT
Family relationships and household composition vary widely in Carib bean societies. Nuclear (biparental), single parent (usually mother), and extended grandparental households are common. Male parental behav ior is highly variable, with some fathers providing extensive resources and care for their children, while others provide little or none (Clarke 1957). This wide range of parent-offspring relationships provides a "natural experiment" for comparative analysis of factors influencing family structure.1
