Social Class and the Transition to Adulthood: Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) Youth in Indonesia

This study takes a comprehensive approach to the issue of Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET), delving into the often overlooked role of social class disparities. By using a multilevel mixed-effects logistic model and data from the 2022 National Social Economic Survey (SUSENAS), it provides a robust exploration of the complex socioeconomic factors that shape the transition to adulthood among youth. This study contributes to understanding social stratification and its impact on NEET youth. The main finding underscores the protective role of social class against youth being NEET, revealing that adolescents from higher social class households are less likely to disengage from study or work compared to those from lower social classes. The analysis uncovers determinants of NEET youth, including, among others, being female, married, having higher education, and having a female-headed household. Meanwhile, protective factors of NEET youth include, among others, age, disability, residing in a household whose head is working, and residing in urban areas. Comparing estimation results across social classes reveals that individuals from the low social class have a significantly higher propensity to be NEET than those from the high social class.