ERIC Number: EJ1307481
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Oct
Pages: 30
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0044-118X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Longitudinal Links between Income Dynamics and Young Adult Socioeconomic and Behavioral Health Outcomes
Whitfield, Kendra; Betancur, Laura; Miller, Portia; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth
Youth & Society, v53 n7 p1181-1210 Oct 2021
Longitudinal links between childhood family income and adult outcomes are well documented. However, research on childhood income volatility and young adult outcomes is limited. This study utilizes data from the NLSY (N = 6,410) to examine how childhood family income and income volatility relate to socioeconomic outcomes and mental/behavioral health in emerging adulthood. Results show that lower childhood income was associated with young adult socioeconomic and behavioral health outcomes. Higher income volatility was associated with increased depression and teen parenthood during young adulthood. Additional analyses examining trajectories of income volatility illustrated that children in families with unstable income trajectories (i.e., frequent income losses and gains) showed higher depression scores than those with stable trajectories. These findings suggest that income volatility, not just income level or income loss, is important to consider when studying economic disparities in young adult outcomes. Implications for policies and programs for low-income, high-volatility households are discussed.
Descriptors: Correlation, Young Adults, Socioeconomic Status, Family Income, Mental Health, Child Development, Depression (Psychology), Early Parenthood, Scores, Social Class, Employment, Unemployment, Longitudinal Studies, Stress Variables, Parent Child Relationship, National Surveys, Measures (Individuals), Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Educational Attainment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Longitudinal Survey of Youth; Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: R03HD091610
Author Affiliations: N/A