When crisis amplifies choice: multi-dimensional determinants of Sri Lankan school children employment

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of economic, psychological, political, and socio cultural forces on the employment of Sri Lankan 16-18-year-old school children, with economic crisis as the mediating variable. Utilizing an integrated flexible approach based on the 10Ps framework, data were collected from 230 parents through online and hard copies of questionnaires. Principal component analysis identified three significant components: psycho economic background, political background, and socio-cultural background. Multiple linear regression revealed the following significant positive associations: psycho-economic background (β=0.8008, p=0.004) and political background (β=0.4624, p=0.029) with employment outcomes of children, while socio-cultural variables had no direct significant influence (β=0.2985, p=0.442). Economic crisis had a very strong positive main effect (β=0.7880, p<0.001) and strongly moderated the association between psycho-economic variables (β=0.2006, p=0.010) and political variables (β=0.8475, p<0.001) with employment outcomes. These findings imply that in times of economic crisis caused by the COVID 19 and Economic Downturn, psychological-economic and political variables are more likely to determine children's part-time work and hence offer key information for parents and policymakers alike to tailor interventions and support strategies.