Negative Correlates of Part-Time Employment During Adolescence: Replication and Elaboration

This study examines the relation between part-time employment and adolescent development in a heterogeneous sample of approximately 4,000 15-through 18-year-olds. Long work hours during the school year are associated with lower investment and performance in school, greater psychological and somatic distress, drug and alcohol use, delinquency, and autonomy from parents. Workers do not have any advantages over nonworkers in self-reliance, work orientation, or self-esteem. The negative correlates of school-year employment are closely linked to the number of hours worked each week and generally cut across ethnic, socioeconomic, and age groups; in no subsample are the correlates of extensive employment positive. The findings suggest that parents, educational practitioners, and policy makers should continue to monitor the number of weekly hours adolescents work during the school year.