Poverty and other factors affecting migration intentions among adolescents in Mexico

This study aimed to understand the social and economic factors that impact migration intentions among Mexican adolescents. The sample consists of 980 adolescents surveyed in Tijuana, Mexico, in February 2009. Multiple regressions were run controlling for gender, age, parents' education level, and average grades in school. The results indicated that lower socioeconomic status was not a significant predictor of higher intentions to migrate to the United States to work. The results also indicated that higher levels of pre-migration acculturation were associated with higher intentions to migrate to the United States to live and work. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.