Intrayear Household Income Dynamics and Adolescent School Behavior

Economic life for most American households is quite dynamic. Such income instability is an understudied aspect of households' economic contexts that may have distinct consequences for children. We examine the empirical relationship between household income instability, as measured by intrayear...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Demography 2015-04, Vol.52 (2), p.455-483
Main Authors: Gennetian, Lisa A., Wolf, Sharon, Hill, Heather D., Morris, Pamela A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievement
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Age Factors
Behavior
Child
Child development
Children & youth
Continental Population Groups - statistics & numerical data
Demography
Economic life
Expulsions & suspensions
Families & family life
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS
Family income
Female
Geography
Households
Humans
Income - statistics & numerical data
Low income groups
Male
Medicine/Public Health
Parents & parenting
Polls & surveys
Population Economics
Poverty
Schools - statistics & numerical data
Secondary school students
Sex Factors
Social Sciences
Socioeconomic Factors
Sociology
Statistical analysis
Teenagers
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Summary:Economic life for most American households is quite dynamic. Such income instability is an understudied aspect of households' economic contexts that may have distinct consequences for children. We examine the empirical relationship between household income instability, as measured by intrayear income change, and adolescent school behavior outcomes using a nationally representative sample of households with adolescents from the Survey of Income and Program Participation 2004 panel. We find an unfavorable relationship between income instability and adolescent school behaviors after controlling for income level and a large set of child and family characteristics. Income instability is associated with a lower likelihood of adolescents being highly engaged in school across the income spectrum and predicts adolescent expulsions and suspensions, particularly among low-income, older, and racial minority adolescents.
ISSN:0070-3370
1533-7790
DOI:10.1007/s13524-015-0370-9