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. 1983 Dec;12(6):471-87.
doi: 10.1007/BF02088665.

Psychological correlates of teenage motherhood

R P Barth, S P Schinke, J S Maxwell

Psychological correlates of teenage motherhood

R P Barth et al. J Youth Adolesc. 1983 Dec.

Abstract

PIP: The social and economic consequences of adolescent motherhood are known, yet the psychological associates are largely unstudied. Clinical studies point to distressing reactions to adolescent pregnancy, and do not reflect changes in social attitudes about teenage parenting. In the study, adolescent mothers (n=62), pregnant teenagers (n=63), and non-pregnant and nonparenting (n=60) adolescents enrolled in public high schools completed measures of socioeconomic status, depression, anxiety, loneliness, selfesteem, and social supports. Study participants were enrolled in 3 schoolaged parent programs in urban, suburban and semirural schools. Students' ages ranged from 11 to 21 years. By race, 49% of the young women were Black, 36.8% were White, 5.6% were Native American, 7% were Asian, 4% were Hispanic, and 5% declined to identify their ethnicity. Pregnant, parenting and comparison participants were recruited in the classes of the young women. Findings suggest that adolescent mothers and pregnant teenagers are less distressed by their situation than was once thought. Social supports and socioeconomic status predicted psychological well-being better thanparenting status. Expanded schools programs for teenage mothers and renewed efforts to enhance young mothers' social and socioeconomic resources are recommended.

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