Is Adolescent Employment Still a Risk Factor for High School Dropout?

Abstract

Past cohorts of teenagers who spent long hours in jobs were more likely to drop out of high school than those who worked moderate hours or did not work at all. This article examines the association between employment intensity and dropout among adolescents in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 who traversed high school during a time of decreased prevalence of both employment and dropout relative to earlier cohorts. Analyses reveal that a relatively small percentage of teenagers nowadays are characterized as either intensive workers or dropouts (around 11% each). Yet, despite declines in intensive employment and dropout, disadvantaged youth remain overrepresented in both groups, and intensive work is still a risk factor for poor grades and dropout.

Patterns of early adult work and postsecondary participation among individuals with high-incidence disabilities: A longitudinal person-centered analysis.

“…Because some of the prior results linking early work experiences to consequent employment have been revealed through carefully controlled investigations (Mamun et al, 2018), our findings should be replicated prior to making any sweeping generalizations about this finding. However, prior evidence among normative samples does indicate that the intensity of early work experiences during adolescence can interfere with students' ability to develop academic skills (Bachman et al, 2011;Staff et al, 2020) so future investigations should consider similar possibilities among transitioning adolescents with disabilities, particularly considering our findings pertaining to the importance of academic achievement.…”

Consequences of adolescent employment for young adult development.

“…Intensive hours of work during the school year are associated with several indicators of school disengagement (e.g., incomplete school assignments, low effort, truancy) and poor performance (e.g., low GPA and test scores; M. K. Johnson, 2004;Marsh & Kleitman, 2005;Monahan et al, 2011;Mortimer et al, 1996;Staff et al, 2010;Tyler, 2003). Youth who engage intensively with work in high school also face an elevated risk of dropping out of high school (Apel et al, 2008;D'Amico, 1984;Lee & Staff, 2007;Staff et al, 2020;Warren & Cataldi, 2006). Importantly, the acute negative consequences of intensive work hours on academic success are observed even after controlling for plausible confounders and sociodemographic background.…”

“…Newly initiated and continuing longitudinal studies of a wider range of potential outcomes are needed given the fact that current understandings of the effects of adolescent work on young adult development are based on studies carried out in a prior era when paid work was a more common endeavor than it is today. In view of the decline in work opportunities for teenagers, the basis of selection to work may have changed (Staff et al, 2020) as well as the consequences of paid work experiences. For example, given increased difficulty in finding work, contemporary teenagers may be more reluctant than adolescents in prior cohorts to leave jobs that are stressful and offer few learning opportunities and to seek better work conditions.…”

Structuring adolescent’s oral health effects on labour market entry in a cohort study

“…Low SES families motived their youth to engage in early employment to contribute financially and to take different paths, seeking a sense of stability 4 . Otherwise, it can often lead to a discontinuation of their further education, 6 which makes early entry to the labour market a bad outcome.…”