The Intergenerational Transmission of Early Childbearing: Examining Direct and Indirect Associations in a Swedish Birth Cohort.

Robin S Högnäs,Alessandra Grotta

doi:10.3390/bs9050054

Abstract

Background. Research shows that early childbearing is associated negatively with educational attainment and socioeconomic status (SES). Children born to young versus older mothers often do less well in school, and many have early first births. Some studies suggest that mothers’ early childbearing operates through SES to influence the daughters’ early childbearing, and some argue that the association is strong net of SES. The current study tests these direct and indirect associations. Methods. We estimate the pathways through which mothers’ early childbearing influences daughters’ early childbearing in several steps. First, we examine bivariate associations between mothers’ early childbearing and SES, followed by bivariate associations between mothers’ SES outcomes and their daughters’ early childbearing. We then estimate the average marginal effects (AMEs) of mothers’ early children on daughters’, and a KHB decomposition to examine direct and indirect associations. Results. Findings suggest both direct and indirect associations. Nested models show that, net of a range of SES characteristics, mothers’ early childbearing increases the probability of daughters’ by approximately 8%; and KHB results suggest 37% mediation, with daughters’ school performance (12%) and household educational attainment (10%) contributing the highest shares. Conclusion. Mothers’ early childbearing and subsequent SES collectively influence the long-term wellbeing of children. Thus, early childbearing has consequences both within and across generations.

Highlights

Most recent estimates from The World Bank suggest that early childbearing in Western countries has decreased significantly over the past few decades
1953 and 1965, 40% of the families were classified as working class, and 74% of daughters were reared in households in which no adult had an upper secondary education
We observed that families in which the mothers had an early first birth versus a later first birth had significantly lower household education, a higher percentage of welfare receipt and more likely to be working class

Summary

Introduction

Most recent estimates from The World Bank suggest that early childbearing in Western countries has decreased significantly over the past few decades. There are many risk factors associated with early childbearing, and the most salient may be socioeconomic vulnerability, and having a young mother [3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. Research further shows that early childbearing can alter young women’s life course trajectories in terms of educational attainment and employment [12,13,14,15,16,17]. Some research even suggests that early childbearing increases the risk of mortality [18] For these and other reasons, scholars and policy makers have long been concerned with the causes and consequences of—and life course trajectories following—early childbearing [1].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion