Teen motherhood labor market involvement and the receipt of public assistance.

The evidence from three existing nonexperimental literatures and three demonstration projects regarding labor market outcomes and public assistance receipt of teen mothers are reviewed in this paper. Employing a framework for synthesis the disparate styles and questions asked in the literatures are reviewed. Findings indicate that the two types of research presented are quite complementary looking at the same type of problem from two different perspectives. In addition it is noted that both present a reasonably consistent view of the problems of teen motherhood. Evidence suggests that women appear to have considerable difficulties to surmount in addition to their maternal status. It is also unlikely that relatively small changes in the environment facing teenage mothers will lead many of them to enter the labor market and/or leave public assistance. Moreover it is presumed that the enactment of legislation calling for the complete overhaul of the welfare system had been in response to the evidence presented. Further studies are recommended for the identification of whether or not such dramatic changes will have the desired effects.