Demographic variation in truancy in adolescence and its effects on educational attainment and income in early adulthood

Citation

Cardwell, Stephanie M & Tillyer, Marie Skubak (2024). Demographic variation in truancy in adolescence and its effects on educational attainment and income in early adulthood. Journal of Criminology.

Abstract

Although prior research has linked adolescent truancy with lower educational attainment and income in young adulthood, less is known about how these relationships are conditioned by demographics, such as gender, race, ethnicity, and receiving public assistance. Using data from two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we find that adolescent truancy predicts lower educational attainment in young adulthood, and the effect is significantly stronger for males relative to females and significantly weaker for recipients of public assistance relative to their peers. Truancy's effect on educational attainment was largely invariant across race and ethnicity. We found little evidence that truancy in adolescence is significantly related to income in young adulthood, net of controls. This study highlights the importance of examining the nuanced relationship between truancy and later life outcomes.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1177/26338076241286904

Keyword(s)

education

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Criminology

Author(s)

Cardwell, Stephanie M
Tillyer, Marie Skubak

Year Published

2024

ISSN/ISBN

2633-8076

DOI

2633-8076

Reference ID

10528