Life Course Heterogeneity in the Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood Among Adolescent Mothers

Abstract

Longitudinal data were used to examine pathways taken by 227 adolescent mothers during the transition from adolescence into adulthood. Latent profile analysis identified three sub‐groups of adolescent mothers from 6 months to 6 years postpartum: a problem‐prone profile (15%), a psychologically vulnerable profile (42%), and a normative profile (43%). Group membership was related to long‐term adult outcomes (adult status markers, health‐risk and deviant behaviors, substance use, mental health, and intimate relationships) when respondents were nearing age 30. The psychologically vulnerable group reported greater health and mental health problems, relational problems, and substance use than the normative profile group. Only the problem‐prone profile group, taken together, reported serious problems in all domains of adult outcomes examined including financial, relational, behavioral, and health and mental health problems. Results confirm the existence of different pathways through adolescent parenthood that are associated with adult functioning 12 years postpartum.

Predicting Variation in the Life Course of Adolescent Mothers as They Enter Adulthood

“…The psychologically vulnerable groups' outcomes were less dramatic yet still significantly divergent from the normative group. At age 30 they had greater odds of having clinical mental health problems, ongoing health problems, exposure to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and criminal activity; similarly, they reported more tobacco and illicit substance use, problems with substances and poorer quality of relationship with partner [11].…”

“…Further analyses revealed that the transitional patterns predicted later adult outcomes for these teenage mothers [11]. Specifically, at age 30, the problem-prone group had an increased odds of financial dependence, unemployment, engaging in unsafe sexual practices, perceived exposure to AIDS, ongoing health problems, criminal activity involvement, recent time in jail, clinical level of mental health problems, unstable housing, being a victim of crime, and greater odds of not getting an education beyond high school relative to the normative group; the problem-prone group also used more tobacco and illicit drugs, and reported more problems with substance use as well as greater exposure to intimate partner violence [11].…”

“…In our earlier research [11], we identified significant heterogeneity in high-risk behaviors and life circumstances among adolescent mothers during the transitional years from adolescence to adulthood (ages 17 through 23 years). Some young mothers experienced significant behavioral, emotional, and situational problems during this transition whereas others experienced few, if any, such problems.…”

“…An important question arises as to what extent an adolescent mother's membership in one of these transitional pathways can be anticipated during pregnancy. This has great applied relevance for iden- Low Low Moderate a Statistically significant difference between problem prone and normative groups, p Յ .01 [11]. b Statistically significant difference between problem prone and psychologically vulnerable groups, p Յ .02 [11].…”

Theoretically-Based Emotion Regulation Strategies Using a Mobile App and Wearable Sensor Among Homeless Adolescent Mothers: Acceptability and Feasibility Study (Preprint)

“…The vast majority of adolescent mothers in the U.S. are single parents who are balancing new motherhood, school, and work while navigating the normative social and emotional challenges of adolescence [1]. Adolescent mothers experience stress typical of new mothers including chronic fatigue, physiological changes, concerns about their children, and changes in relationships with family members, the father of their child, and peers [2][3][4].…”