The Influence of High School Dropout and School Disengagement on the Risk of School-Age Pregnancy

Abstract

Using data from a recent longitudinal cohort of 8th graders, I found that factors relevant to teens' school experiences—including characteristics of their school and classroom, their family background, and individual engagement—were associated with the risk of school-age pregnancy leading to a live birth. The research tested whether high school dropout status, or other measures of school engagement, similarly influenced the likelihood of school-age pregnancy among White, Black, and Hispanic teens. A set of proportional hazards models indicated that for all racial and ethnic groups, high levels of school engagement were associated with postponing pregnancy. Among White and Hispanic teens, dropouts—especially young dropouts—were more likely to have a school-age pregnancy, net of other family and educational factors. Although African American teens did not show a relation between dropping out and the risk of pregnancy, other measures of engagement were important predictors of having a school-age pregnancy for this group.