Young people’s decisions in the transition to adulthood in France: The influence of family factors

Abstract

Entering adulthood is characterised by different choices. These include choosing whether or not to study, leave the parental home or work. This article examines the potential links between family environment and the choices made by young adults using data from the Enquête nationale sur les ressources des jeunes (ENRJ, National survey on the resources of young adults). The econometric methodology adopted allows us to take into account the quasi-simultaneous nature of these decisions. Aside from family structure, income, geographic loca-tion and the socio-professional category of the parents, we include indicators measuring the quality of young people’s relationships with their parents. In particular, we show that the professional and financial situation of the parents is not the only determining factor of the decisions made by young people; the quality of young people’s relationships with their parents also has an influence on their decisions.