Family Characteristics as Predictors of Youth Livelihood Outcomes in Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of family characteristics on youth livelihood outcomes (YLO) in Kenya. A survey was conducted on a random sample of 201 respondents aged between 18 to 35 years who were selected from a list of members of registered self-help youth groups. Data was gathered through a questionnaire and analysed by the se of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Youth livelihood outcomes occurred along a continuum of three levels, namely: survival, security and growth livelihood levels. Results revealed that 52% of the respondents attained survival livelihood level, 18% attained the security level, and 30% attained the growth level of youth livelihood outcomes. Research findings indicated that family characteristics improved prediction power of youth livelihoods outcomes by 72.1% (R2 = 0.721; Log-Likelihood Ratio (χ2 = 203.18; d.f = 12; p = 0.000). The significant predictors of youth livelihood outcomes were the aggregate family income (β=1.00, p=0.000), paternal education (β = 1.60, p = 0.016), parental support (β = 1.93, p = 0.047), number of dependents (β = 0.02, p = 0.001), and aggregate family assets (β = 1.00, p = 0.019). However, family expenditure (χ2 = 2.37; d.f. = 2; p > 0.05) and maternal education (χ2 = 9.72; d.f. = 3; p > 0.05) had no statistically significant relationship with youth livelihood outcomes. These results implied that that youth from middle-income families, whose fathers had acquired higher levels of education, and whose families had fewer dependents, had accumulated family assets and whose parents supported their livelihood strategies attained higher levels of youth livelihood outcomes compared to their counterparts who were less privileged on similar family characteristics. The outcomes of this study may be used to develop appropriate family and youth-focused interventions to enhance youth livelihood outcomes.