Poverty and Youth

The Prevention Researcher, Volume 18, Number 4, 2011, Item# 184

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In the United States, 17% of adolescents live in poor families. When we consider those youth in near poor families – that is, those youth living in a family of four with an income of $44,226 or less – the number doubles to 38%. With nearly four out of every ten youth living near poverty, and considering that many of the topics we’ve discussed in past issues of The Prevention Researcher are related to poverty, then addressing the needs of these youth seems imperative.

So that we have a clear understanding about poverty and how it is affecting youth, our introductory article, by Vanessa Wight, provides a descriptive analysis of youth in poverty, reviews the consequences of poverty, and examines two theories as to how poverty leads to negative outcomes.

Next, Karen Seccombe explores the four main theories used to explain why people experience poverty. She does so through the thoughtful and creative use of a case study about “Dee,” a newly single mother raising a young daughter. Through this case study we get a feel for the complexity of the problems behind poverty, why people are poor, and how it affects them.

Poverty happens to families, and Rashmita Mistry and Martha Wadsworth explore how poverty impacts family functions, and how this in turn, impacts youth. Drs. Mistry and Wadsworth conclude by discussing preventive and intervention efforts designed to alleviate the hardships faced by families in poverty and improve the long-term economic, educational, and social prospects of children.

One of the negative outcomes from living in poverty is becoming disconnected with school and eventually dropping out. Youth who have limited education and have no work experience have difficulties finding gainful employment. Our final article, by Amy Dworsky, showcases three federally funded education and job training programs. Dr. Dworsky highlights the similarities and differences of these programs and discusses the research evaluating their impact.

To address the impact of poverty in the classroom, we have a podcast with Jennifer Rogalsky about education and the "culture of poverty." Dr. Rogalsky explains what is meant by the "culture of poverty" and illustrates ways educators can shift from this paradigm to improve the classroom experience for low-income youth.

View the Table of Contents

Articles in this issue:

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Adolescents and Poverty

By Vanessa R. Wight, Ph.D.

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Family Functioning and Child Development in the Context of Poverty

By Rashmita S. Mistry, Ph.D., and Martha Wadsworth, Ph.D.

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Federally Funded Education and Job Training Programs for Low-Income Youth

By Amy Dworsky, Ph.D.

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How Can We Explain Poverty? Case Study of Dee Reveals the Complexities

By Karen Seccombe, Ph.D.

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