Mexican‐Origin Adolescent Mothers’ Economic Contexts, Educational Re‐Engagement, and Their Children’s School Readiness

• Published in: Child development Vol. 92; no. 4; pp. e513 - e530
• Main Authors: McDermott, Elana R., Jahromi, Laudan B., Umaña‐Taylor, Adriana J., Martinez‐Fuentes, Stefanie, Jones, Shandra M., Updegraff, Kimberly A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley 01.07.2021; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic readiness; Adolescent mothers; Adolescents; Child Development; Children; Correlation; Early Parenthood; Economic Factors; Educational Attainment; Emotional Development; Emotions; Families & family life; Family Income; Mexican Americans; Mothers; Pregnancy; Preschool Children; Reentry Students; School Readiness; Social Development; Teenage parents; Teenagers
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13514

Drawing on data from a longitudinal study of 204 Mexican‐origin adolescent mothers, their mother figures, and their children, the current investigation examined (a) adolescent mothers’ educational re‐engagement and attainment beginning during their pregnancy and ending when their child was 5 years old; and (b) the influence of the family economic context on adolescent mothers’ educational re‐engagement and attainment and their children’s academic and social‐emotional outcomes. Findings detailed adolescent mothers’ re‐engagement in school after the birth of their child and revealed that family income during adolescents’ pregnancies was directly associated with re‐engagement and attainment, and also initiated cascade effects that shaped adolescents’ economic contexts, their subsequent re‐engagement and attainment, and ultimately their children’s academic and social‐emotional outcomes at age 5.