This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997
(NLSY97), interviews from 1998. The objective of this study was to examine the
educational attainment and poverty status of the teen and non-teen mothers of NLSY97.
The results revealed that a difference in educational attainment exists between the teen
mother group and the non-teen mother group. This study found that White teen mothers
had the lowest educational attainment of the groups. Furthermore, the poverty status also
proved to vary by groups. Overall, Black respondents regardless of their age at first birth
were more likely to be living in poverty. The multiple regression analysis suggests that
being a teen mother is inversely related to educational attainment. Being a teen mother,
poverty status, number of children ever bom, ever receiving Aid to Families with
Dependent Children (AFDC) and being married were predictors of educational
attainment. These variables explained 16.9% of variance in educational level. The
implications of this study, results for future research, multicultural issues and social work
practice are discussed.