REEXAMINING THE ASSOCIATION OF MATERNAL AGE AND MARITAL STATUS AT FIRST BIRTH WITH YOUTH EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Abstract

Using data from the linked Children and Young Adult sample (N = 2,865) of the NLSY79, we reexamined the association of maternal age and marital status at birth with youth high school completion, assessing multiple age categories and race/ethnic variations. Youth born to older teen mothers were no more likely to graduate from high school than those born to the youngest teen mothers. Although delaying childbirth to young adulthood (age 20–24) was associated with greater odds of children’s high school completion compared to the earliest teen births, those born to young adult mothers were disadvantaged compared to those born to mothers age 25 or older. Being born to an unmarried mother was associated with lower odds of high school completion but this did not fully explain the estimated effect of maternal age at birth. We found no evidence that maternal age at birth more strongly predicted high school graduation for White compared to Latino or Black youth.