The Differences in Some Individual and Family Characteristics between Employed and Unemployed Young Adults Without High School

The aim of the present study was to determine whether the set of individual and family characteristics discriminates between employed and unemployed young adults without high school, and which of these characteristics contribute most to the discrimination between groups The sample comprised youth without high school diploma (school dropouts) from 14 cities in the Republic of Croatia Data on individual (school competence, behavior in school, and employment status) and family (parents' education level, frequency of contacts with parents, and the living standard of family) characteristics of school dropouts were collected The results of the study confirm the initial expectation about higher school achievement, higher living standard of the family, and higher educated parents of employed school dropouts in comparison to unemployed school dropouts Based on the set of individual and family characteristics it is possible to discriminate between employed and unemployed school dropouts, whereby the mother's education level and the living standard of family contribute most to the discrimination between groups