Poverty Over the Life Course: Evidence From Birth to Emerging Adulthood

ABSTRACT Objective To assess if childhood poverty predicts poverty in emerging adulthood and identify the mechanisms. Background Early‐life poverty elevates the risk of adult economic disadvantage, but the specific pathways require clearer delineation. Methods Using longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we analyzed poverty continuity to age 22 via logistic regression. We tested mediation by time‐varying child, parental, family, school, and neighborhood factors. Results Childhood poverty significantly increased the odds of poverty at age 22 (OR = 1.88). This association was mediated by factors like parental involvement, childcare, school engagement, and neighborhood conditions. The effects were stronger for females and for Black and Hispanic youth than for males and White youth. Conclusion Poverty continuity is associated with multi‐level developmental contexts, with notable subgroup variation. Implications Breaking the poverty cycle requires policies that address structural inequalities and target the specific contextual pathways affecting disadvantaged subgroups.