Kearney offers alternative explanation for reverse gender gap in employment among poor families
A recent study conducted by economists at Harvard and Stanford has discovered that, in poor families, girls are more likely to be employed as adults compared to boys who grow up in the same environment. While the authors suggest that boys may be more adversely affected by poverty, Faculty Associate Melissa Kearney offers an alternative explanation.
Dr. Kearney suggests that girls may be impacted by poverty in ways that are less overt, and that do not directly affect labor market outcomes. For instance, girls may suffer from quiet depression, violence in relationships, or early parenthood, all of which have different consequences in terms of life chances. Therefore, assessing the reverse gender gap in labor market outcomes for children in poor families may require a more careful assessment of gender differences in the mechanisms through which poverty affects boys and girls.