EFFECT OF EARLY SEXUAL DEBUT ON HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION IN SOUTH AFRICA

SummaryEarly sexual debut is of major concern because it is a correlate for health and economic shocks experienced in adulthood. In South Africa, this concern has provided impetus for research directed at the HIV and AIDS epidemic, teenage pregnancy and the effect of adolescent sexual behaviour on persistence in school. Of interest to the present study is high school completion, which is a well-established empirical barometer of adult socioeconomic opportunities. Using data from the five waves of the Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS), this paper examines the association between sexual behaviours initiated in pre- and early adolescence and high school completion rates. The CAPS study is a longitudinal survey that was designed to investigate young people’s (aged 14–22 years) educational attainment and sexual behaviours in Cape Town, South Africa. The sample was constituted from 3213 individuals who had initiated sex during their teenage years and the analysis was undertaken when the youngest cohort was aged 21, an age at which they should have completed high school if they were on time. Logistic regression models were fitted separately for males and females. Overall, the results reveal that early sexual debut is correlated with long-term negative educational outcomes. Individuals who experience early sexual debut are less likely to complete high school than their counterparts who make their sexual debut later on in life. This effect is worse for Africans, who also disproportionately have an earlier sexual debut than other race groups. Apart from race however, the findings also reinforce the effect of other demographic factors on high school completion, namely, place of residence and family socioeconomic status as measured by parental education and household income. Hence, early sexual debut adds another layer of inequality and worsens the plight of Africans, females, those living in rural areas and those who come from low-income families.

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THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS AND INITIATION OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s0021932017000670 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 59-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Annah V. Bengesai ◽

Hafiz T. A. Khan ◽

Russell Dube

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Secondary Education ◽

Young People ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Sexual Debut ◽

Hiv And Aids ◽

Post Secondary Education ◽

Early Sexual Debut ◽

Post Secondary ◽

Sexual Behaviours

SummaryAlthough young people in South Africa are growing up in an era where their socioeconomic circumstances are seemingly better than those of their parents’ generation, they face greater risks in their trajectory to adulthood. This is mainly because the environment in which they are making sexual decisions is also rapidly evolving. Currently, South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the world among young people aged 15–24. This study examined the effect of sexual behaviours initiated in adolescence on enrolment in post-secondary education. The analysis was conducted using data from the longitudinal Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS, Waves 1–5) conducted in 2002–2009, which focused on young people’s sexual behaviours in Cape Town, South Africa. The sample was restricted to 3213 individuals who reported sexual debut during adolescence. Using logistic regression models fitted separately for males and females, the results revealed that several factors acted as either hindrances or protective factors to enrolment in post-secondary education. Early sexual debut (by age 17) was negatively associated with participation in tertiary education. Other variables that had a negative effect included not using contraception at first sex, parenthood, engaging in risky behaviours such as illegal substance use, cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol and neglect of school homework (doing less than an hour a day). Higher levels of parental education (except for paternal education in the female model), urban residence and higher aspirations and analogous behaviours (studying) acted as protective factors and were positively associated with post-secondary education initiation. The paper also points to the relationship between early sexual debut and persistent socioeconomic inequality and provides empirical evidence for re-thinking policy development and implementation around schooling and sex education.

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The Association between Family Structure Changes and High School Completion in South Africa

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci9080133 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 133

Author(s):

Annah Vimbai Bengesai ◽

Nompumelelo Nzimande

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

High School ◽

Young People ◽

Educational Attainment ◽

Family Structure ◽

National Income ◽

High School Completion ◽

Family Structures ◽

School Completion ◽

Using Data

Over the past few years, family structures have been dramatically transformed, yet limited research from South Africa has assessed the effect on children’s developmental outcomes. Using data from the National Income Dynamics Study, we aim to contribute to the literature by examining the relationship between family structure disruption and high school completion in South Africa. Our sample consisted of 1649 young people who were aged 12, 13 and 14 in 2008 and their educational attainment was tracked through to 2017. The results from the logistic regression analysis demonstrate that family structure disruption is negatively associated with high school completion. After controlling for variation in household income change, the child’s educational factors and socio-demographic controls, young people who experienced a change from a co-resident family or were in stable non-resident parent family structures were up to 50% less likely to complete high school relative to those from undisrupted co-resident parent family structures. Given that family structure disruption is a widespread phenomenon in South Africa, research should consider it as a key determinant of educational attainment and policymakers should come up with holistic interventions to support families as well as allocate public resources in ways that can help reduce educational inequalities.

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Examining the Impact of Changes in Maternal Employment on High School Completion Among Low-Income Youth

Journal of Family and Economic Issues ◽

10.1023/b:jeei.0000039943.84765.0a ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 279-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Karen A. Randolph ◽

Roderick A. Rose ◽

Mark W. Fraser ◽

Dennis K. Orthner

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Low Income ◽

Maternal Employment ◽

High School Completion ◽

School Completion ◽

The Impact

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High School Completion for Young Women

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/019251382003002002 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 147-163 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

LOIS B. SHAW

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Black Women ◽

Young Women ◽

Low Income ◽

White Women ◽

Family Income ◽

High School Completion ◽

Single Parent ◽

Dropping Out ◽

School Completion

This article examines the effects of living in a single-parent family on the high school completion of young women after controlling for the effects of family income. For white women, living with a single parent has no effect on high school completion once the generally lower income of single-parent families is taken into account. For black women, both low income and living with a single parent independently contribute to increased rates of dropping out of school. In considering policies to increase the rate of high school completion, the economic aspect of the problem deserves major attention.

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