Persistent poverty, poverty mobility, and young adults’ material hardship

• Government assistance reduced persistent and intergenerational poverty risk. • Maternal mental health and substance use increased intergenerational poverty. • Even with employment and assistance, young adults remain vulnerable to hardship. Financial wellbeing during childhood shapes long-term outcomes into adulthood. This study used data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) to examine inter- and intragenerational poverty among mothers in persistent poverty (n = 654), defined as living below the federal poverty threshold at least 50 % of the time through their child’s age 15. Using logistic regression, we analyzed the associations between maternal weeks worked, government assistance, and poverty mobility—both within a generation and across generations—as well as young adults’ material hardship at age 22. Independent variables included maternal employment and public benefit receipt; dependent variables included maternal poverty status change, child poverty status, and young adult material hardship. Results indicated that mothers who received public assistance had lower odds of remaining in poverty and of passing poverty to their children. Maternal factors were more predictive of intergenerational than intragenerational mobility. However, young adults who worked more weeks and received benefits were also more likely to face material hardship. These findings suggest that although assistance targets vulnerable populations, it may fall short in addressing basic needs. Further research is needed to explore persistent material hardship among young adults raised by unmarried mothers.