Impact of family structure, parental migration, and parental divorce on an adolescent's educational enrollment: evidence from a longitudinal study in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand

Abstract

Family structure, migration, and divorce are the crucial determinants that shape a family member’s well-being. Previous studies have shown that adolescent residing in extended families, with parental migration, and without parental divorce tend to have better outcomes. Using data from the 2001 to 2004 round of Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance System (KDSS), this study aims to explore the relationship between family structure, parental migration, parental divorce and adolescent’s educational enrolment. The sample of adolescents aged 13-18 in 2001 were used for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis proposes that adolescents residing in extended families with grandparents, residing in household without mother migration, and residing outside the parental divorce household are more likely to enroll in school in 2004. This study suggests that the training for grandparents about grandchildren’s caring, the women’s job availability, and the Life Skill Program for adolescents in divorced homes should be implemented.