The Effects of Work Intensity on Adolescent Mental Health, Achievement, and Behavioral Adjustment: New Evidence from a Prospective Study

Abstract

This article examines the effects of work intensity on adolescent mental health, academic achievement, and behavioral adjustment. Questionnaire data were collected yearly from an initial panel of 1,000 randomly selected ninth graders (14-15 years old). Consistent with other studies, students who worked at higher intensity engaged in more alcohol use. The methodological strengths of this research (a representative panel studied prospectively over a 4-year period with minimal attrition and an analysis incorporating key control and lagged variables) provide strong evidence that adolescent work fosters alcohol use. The contention that work of high intensity has deleterious effects on mental health, academic achievement, and 2 other indicators of behavioral adjustment did not withstand our stringent tests. However, high school seniors who worked at moderate intensity (1-20 hours per week) had higher grades than both nonworkers and students who worked more hours per week.

Adolescent Work, Vocational Development, and Education

“…Several outcomes of adolescent work intensity and experiences have been empirically examined: (a) work-related cognitions, including vocational self-efficacy, occupational values, work motivation, cynicism about work, and job satisfaction (e.g., Brooks, Cornelius, Greenfield, & Joseph, 1995;Mortimer, Dennehy, & Lee, 1991;Mortimer, Finch, Ryu, & Shanahan, 1996;Stern et al, 1990); (b) family-related outcomes, including interactions (mother's hostility, adolescent's hostility at home, sharing of advice, closeness to parents, frequency of joint activities such as dinners together, arguments with parents), autonomy (parental monitoring, chores at home, and independent decision-making regarding purchases, dating and curfew), and time with the family (e.g., Mortimer & Shanahan, 1994;Shanahan, Elder, Burchinal, & Conger, 1996;; (c) schoolrelated outcomes, including grades, absences, time spent on homework, and class-cutting (e.g., Barling, Rogers, & Kelloway, 1995;Mael, Morath, & McLellan, 1997;Schoenhals, Tienda, & Schneider, 1998;; (d) time allocation, including extracurricular activities, dating, time spent reading and watching television (e.g., Schoenhals et al, 1998); (e) psychological functioning, including selfconcept crystallization, mastery, depressive affect, satisfaction with life and leisure, dependability, self-esteem, and self-reliance (e.g., Barling et al, 1995;Brooks et al, 1995;Greenberger, 1988;; (f) problem behaviors, including substance use, delinquent acts such as cheating and trouble with police, and victimization (e.g., McMorris & Uggen, 2000;; (g) health behaviors, such as sleep, eating breakfast, and exercise (e.g., ; and (h) postsecondary educational attainments, job training, employment stability and earnings (e.g., Creed, Muller & Patton, 2003;Mael et al, 1997;Mortimer, Staff, & Oesterle, 2003;Stern & Nakata, 1991).…”

“…When examining the outcome of mental health, there is little evidence that working, or even the intensity of work, is associated (Bachman, Bare, & Frankie, 1986;Mortimer et al, 1996;Mortimer & Kirkpatrick Johnson, 1998). Instead, adolescents' distress may be associated with difficulties entering the labor market.…”

Condiciones del trabajo estudiantil urbano y abandono escolar en el nivel medio superior en México

“…Diversas investigaciones sobre las consecuencias del empleo estudiantil se han centrado en las implicaciones del carácter selectivo de las actividades laborales (Mortimer, Finch y Ryu, 1996;Mortimer, 2001;Warren y Lee, 2003;Entwisle, Alexander y Steffel, 2005). Mortimer et al (1996) llaman la atención sobre la necesidad de ir más allá de las horas trabajadas y atender la naturaleza del trabajo realizado, ya que algunos tipos de empleo pueden ser más benéficos que otros al fomentar el desarrollo de ciertas habilidades o aumentar las aspiraciones educativas, incluso cuando los jóvenes invierten más horas de trabajo.…”

“…Mortimer et al (1996) llaman la atención sobre la necesidad de ir más allá de las horas trabajadas y atender la naturaleza del trabajo realizado, ya que algunos tipos de empleo pueden ser más benéficos que otros al fomentar el desarrollo de ciertas habilidades o aumentar las aspiraciones educativas, incluso cuando los jóvenes invierten más horas de trabajo.…”

High school employment, school performance, and college entry

“…Lillydahl (1990) reported that working up to 13.5 hours per week has a positive effect on GPA. Mortimer et al (1996) found that high school seniors who worked less than 20 hours per week have higher grades compared to nonworking students. D'Amico (1984) concluded that school-year employment didn't affect high school rank.…”