School, Work and Idleness among Mexican Adolescents: The Roles of Family Migration and Living Arrangements

• In Event: 220 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 22. Transition to Adulthood

Abstract

Social scientists increasingly recognize that international migration shapes the family contexts of youth in sending and receiving countries. Through its impact on family structure and family resources, migration may also influence youth activity patterns, which in turn have implications for later life outcomes. Using data from the 2009-2011 American Community Survey and 2010 Mexico Census, we provide new information on Mexican-origin adolescents’ family circumstances by household members’ migration experience (defined by nativity, previous and current country of residence). Our sample includes 16- to 17-year-old youth of Mexican-origin living in the United States (N= 28,831) and in Mexico (N= 492,626). We employ multinomial logistic regression to assess the odds of being enrolled in school only, combining school and work, working only, and neither working nor being in school. Analyses of school enrollment and employment reveal striking differences by country of residence, co-residence with parents, and family migration experience. Mexican youth in the United States are more likely to be exclusively in school than youth in Mexico (86% vs. 55%). Youth living apart from both parents are the most likely to be idle, particularly in Mexico. Additionally, household migration is somewhat disruptive to school enrollment for adolescents in both countries. The findings are evaluated by considering prior research on the implications of household migration for Mexican-origin adolescents.

Authors

• Yeris Mayol-Garcia, Mayol-Garcia

• Nancy S. Landale, Pennsylvania State University