Nonmarital School-Age Motherhood

Abstract

Despite a voluminous literature on the determinants of adokscent parenthood, little research exists on school-kvel influences on nonmartal, school-age motherhood. To address this gap, analyses of nationally representative data were conducted to examine individual, family, and school-level predictors of nonmarital motherhood between 8th grade and 12th grade. All independent variables were measured in 8th grade, and the analyses were repeated separately for Black adolescents and White adolescents. The analyses indicated that school safety was an important predictor of nonmarital motherhood. However, school context did not overridefamily and individual-level effects. Low individual educational perfonnance measures, such as lower test scores and self-reported grades, predicted a higher risk of early motherhood, as did being held back in school and repeatedly changing schools. A substantial level of involvement in school clubs and religious organizations was associated with a lower risk of school-age motherhood.