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. 2014 Feb;51(1):277-85.
doi: 10.1007/s13524-013-0269-2.

Challenges in measuring the sequencing of life events among adolescents in Malawi: a cautionary note

Barbara S Mensch  1 , Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Christine A Kelly, Paul C Hewett, Monica J Grant
Affiliations

Challenges in measuring the sequencing of life events among adolescents in Malawi: a cautionary note

Barbara S Mensch et al. Demography. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Using data from two rounds of the Malawi Schooling and Adolescent Survey, this research note examines consistency of retrospective reporting on the timing and sequencing of sexual initiation, school leaving, and marriage. The analysis, which compares reporting of events both within and between rounds, indicates substantial inconsistency in reporting of event sequences and highlights difficulties in measuring transitions to adulthood in sub-Saharan Africa with survey data.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Event sequences reported with FTFI/ACASI and life event cards in Round 3 (2009). Because of the estimation procedure used to generate the age at leaving school in the FTFI, the figure indicates the upper bound of events occurring at the same age. aOrder of events at the same age cannot be established with FTFI/ACASI. L = leaving school, M = first marriage, and S = sexual initiation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Event sequences reported with life event cards in Round 3 (2009) and Round 4 (2010). L = leaving school, M = first marriage, and S = sexual initiation
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Event sequences reported with life event cards in Round 3 (2009) and Round 4 (2010) for girls who had reported all three transitions by Round 3 (N = 472). ). L = leaving school, M = first marriage, and S = sexual initiation
Fig 4
Fig 4
Event sequences reported with life event cards in Round 4 (2010) by sequence reported in Round 3 (2009), for girls who had experienced all three transitions by Round 3 (N = 472). L = leaving school, M = first marriage, and S = sexual initiation. “Other” comprises respondents who in R4 reported no event, two events, or the three-event sequence “SML”
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Consistency of reporting of event pairs (sexual initiation and school leaving; sexual initiation and first marriage) with life event cards in Rounds 3 and 4 (boys/girls). aTwenty-six adolescents, 20 boys and 6 girls, who indicated that they had left school in Round 3 but reported that they were still in school in Round 4, returned to school between Rounds 3 and 4. Of these 26, 4 (3 boys and 1 girl) denied in Round 4 that they had initiated sex, having reported it in Round 3. Therefore, 22 of these adolescents are considered to be consistent in our analysis
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References

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