The educational and personal consequences of adolescent employment

This article examines the short-term educational and personal consequences of youth employment and develops a conceptual distinction between time-allo cation and socialization effects. Results demonstrate that much of the adve rse effect of youth employment on academic outcomes (grades and time spent on homework) found in previous research is attributable to preexisting diff erences among youth wire elect to work at various intensities. The findings also reveal a positive time-allocation effect of youth employment: the mor e youth work, the more they decrease the time they spend watching televisio n relative to other students. The article discusses the implications of the se findings for longer-term stratification.