Family Dynamics and Schooling in Abidjan: A Biographical Approach

Yao Jean KOUADIO, Ecole Nationale de Statistique et d'Economie Appliquée (ENSEA)
Vissého Adjiwanou, Université Du Québec à Montréal

Some studies, such as those by Adjiwanou and colleagues, suggest that children who live with stepfathers in stepfamilies have lower academic achievement compared to those in intact families. However, these studies have limitations because they use cross-sectional databases, which make it difficult to determine causality in the relationship between family recomposition and education. Therefore, this new study is important because it uses biographical data to analyze the impact of stepfamilies on educational levels and school dropout rates of students in Abidjan. The study adopts a life-course approach to consider the relationship between family recomposition and children's education, considering the educational levels of mothers, fathers, and stepfathers. Initial descriptive results indicate that there is no difference in the risk of dropout over time before obtaining a BAC (high school diploma) between children in stepfamilies and others. However, the education level of the woman and the generation she belongs to do influence the risk.

Keywords: Families, Unions and Households, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Gender Dynamics

See extended abstract.