Career Readiness: A Potential Pathway through which Urban Youth Exposure to Stress Influences Adult Health

Abstract

A growing body of research provides support for the detrimental effects of stress during childhood on future adult health, however, less is known about how stress disrupts normal developmental processes. This pathway may be particularly relevant for urban adolescents who are exposed to additional contextual stressors. This study will longitudinally explore how psychological stress from multiple domains influences urban adolescents' career readiness. Two hundred youth (ages 14-21) completed surveys assessing their school, family, neighborhood and health stress. Path analysis using a parallel process model found that school and neighborhood stress at 6 months were significantly associated with decreased career readiness at 15 months. Health stress at baseline was related to an increased report of career readiness at 15 months, which was moderated by parental closeness. These findings suggest that experiences of stress for urban youth negatively impact their planning for the future, particularly in the absence of supportive parental relationships.

Keywords: Adolescent; Future; Stress; United States; Urban.

Figure 1

The Influence of Stress on Career Readiness (n=200) Note: Standardized estimates presented. CFI= .95 TLI=.94, RSMEA= .04 Parentheses indicate standard errors of the estimate.