Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Adolescent Work

This article examines the short- and long-term consequences of working during adolescence. Negative short-term effects are found in the domains of school, family and friend bonding, beliefs, and substance use. A few of these effects persist into adulthood. Those who work more years during adolescence report higher rates of alcohol and marijuana use and less conventional beliefs at ages 27 and 28. A long-term beneficial effect is that the duration of early work is positively related to employability in adulthood.