Project Description
The STEPS study aims to advance research on the relationship between economic well-being, wealth, adolescent functioning and mental health. By collecting data on specific assets and debts relevant to lower-resourced families—such as payday loans and criminal justice debt, often overlooked in wealth surveys—the study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of wealth disparities and racial and ethnic inequalities among adolescents, a critical developmental period as they approach adulthood. This joint grant between Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh will facilitate data collection at both institutions.
Project Goals
By investigating how the lack of wealth, beyond just income, may contribute to risks in healthy adolescent development, the research aims to shed light on critical societal issues. Furthermore, it will contribute to a deeper understanding of how racial and ethnic disparities in wealth impact the life chances of teenagers and their families as they transition into adulthood.
Related Findings and Resources
- Net Worth Poverty and Child Development Research Brief
- Net Worth Poverty and Child Development Socius (September 2022) doi:10.1177/23780231221111672
- Childhood Wealth Inequality in the United States: Implications for Social Stratification and Well- Being RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences (August 2021)
- Net Worth Poverty in Child Households by Race and Ethnicity, 1989–2019 Journal of Marriage and Family (November 2020)