Engaging Pregnant and Parenting Teens: Early Challenges and Lessons Learned From the Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches

Abstract

This article draws on data from the ongoing federal Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches to discuss the early implementation experiences of two new and innovative programs intended to delay rapid repeat pregnancy among teen mothers: (1) AIM 4 Teen Moms, in Los Angeles County, California; and (2) Teen Options to Prevent Pregnancy (T.O.P.P.), in Columbus, Ohio. Program staff report common challenges in working with teen mothers, particularly concerning recruitment and retention, staff capacity and training, barriers to participation, and participants' overarching service needs. Lessons learned in addressing these challenges provide useful guidance to program developers, providers, policy makers, and stakeholders working with similar populations.

A Parenting and Life Skills Intervention for Teen Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Adherence was similar to other AFL teen parenting programs. 46 Early in the intervention, there were some missing baseline data, but it was evenly distributed and managed statistically. Because the study design nested the parenting and life skills intervention within a teen-tot model, effects may have been attenuated because the control condition also received substantial teen-tot care, which may have included the nurse or social worker who delivered the intervention.…”

Using narrative inquiry to listen to the voices of adolescent mothers in relation to their use of social networking sites (SNS)

“…A significant challenge faced similarly by preceding researchers of adolescent mothers (Asheer et al., ; Pinto‐Foltz et al., ; Seed et al., ), related to the practical difficulties of arranging interviews and maintaining engagement. Pinto‐Foltz et al.…”

“…(), Asheer et al. () and their respective associates recommend persistence and flexibility when making contact with adolescent research participants and also suggest provision of assistance with transport, telephone and media access to facilitate both contact and participation. In line with these recommendations, the author remained flexible in terms of chosen interview locations, arranged transport for mothers to attend group interviews and provided lunch at each interview as an added incentive to participate.…”

“…A significant challenge faced similarly by preceding researchers of adolescent mothers (Asheer et al, 2014;Pinto-Foltz et al, 2011;Seed et al, 2009) Adolescent mothers often rely on wider family structures for accommodation, practical and financial support (Pinzon & Jones, 2012), therefore despite using recommended strategies, the mothers were often; transient, with limited transport availability; difficult to maintain contact with and; had chaotic lives with competing demands. Whilst these factors negatively affected participant engagement and attendance in this study, they are not exclusive consequences of using this particular method.…”

“…Adolescent mothers as a specific sub-group of adolescents have also been found to be a difficult cohort to recruit and with whom to maintain long-term engagement (Asheer et al, 2014;Pinto-Foltz, Logsdon, & Derrick, 2011;Seed, Juarez, & Alnatour, 2009). Such challenges require consideration when designing research studies.…”