Family Structure and Adolescent Labor Market Participation

Abstract

We argue that focusing on only one type of fragile family structure—generally single-parent families, without distinguishing how these families were formed—obscures important processes and mechanisms among different types of families. We focus on a specific adolescent risk behavior, high-intensity work, and theorize that adolescents in certain types of fragile families will work more hours because of financial need, while teens in other types of fragile families will extend their work hours to avoid family conflict and stress. Using data from the 1990 and 1992 waves of the National Education Longitudinal Study, we examine the effects of living in a never-married, divorced, widowed, stepparenting, or cohabiting family on work hours. We then look at whether work hours and the motives behind their scheduling can help to explain why teachers assess students from fragile families more negatively than those from intact families. Results provide support for the more general argument that scholars hoping to understand fragile families must distinguish among different family structures and processes.