Project redirection: Making and measuring a difference

Immediate and Longer-Term Connections Between Support and Stress in Pregnant/Parenting and Non-Pregnant/Non-Parenting Adolescents

“…First, the results imply that efforts to build a network of support, both formal and informal, should have lasting benefits for pregnant and parenting adolescents. A number of such community interventions have been found to be effective in building support and resources for young mothers, including mentoring programs (e.g., Bogat et al 2008), school-based programs (e.g., Saunders and Saunders 2002), collaborative services (Rothenberg and Weissman 2002), prenatal and well-baby health care (Koniak-Griffin et al 2000), affordable child care (Camerana et al 1998), and parent education programs (Quint 1991). The results of the present study indicate that such efforts should help adolescents cope with the potential stress of pregnancy and parenthood.…”

Stages of Mentoring: An Analysis of an Intervention for Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents

“…The problems associated with adolescent pregnancy have been widely documented. Pregnant/parenting adolescents, compared to their non-pregnant/parenting counterparts, are more likely to remain single, to not complete their high school education, to have limited career and job opportunities, and to remain on welfare (e.g., Adler et al 1985;Davis 1988;DeBolt et al 1990;Koyle et al 1989;Figueira-McDonough 1985;Quint 1991;Rhodes 1993;Seitz et al 1991). They also experience more stress and feel more restricted by their parenting roles when compared to older mothers (Passino et al 1993).…”

“…Our literature search identified eight empirical studies regarding mentoring pregnant/parenting adolescents; five implemented formal mentoring relationships (Blinn-Pike et al 1998;Quint 1991;Rhodes 1993;Zippay 1995), while four reported on natural or informal mentoring relationships (Rhodes et al 1994a;Rhodes et al 1992;Rhodes et al 1994b;Klaw and Rhodes 1995). Most of these interventions targeted young women ranging in age from 11 to 24, typically from ethnic/racial minority groups, including African-Americans and Latinas.…”

“…Most of these interventions targeted young women ranging in age from 11 to 24, typically from ethnic/racial minority groups, including African-Americans and Latinas. Formal mentoring relationships ranged from 6 months (Quint 1991) to over 2 years (Zippay 1995). These relationships often emphasized the roles of mentor, role model, and friend (Quint 1991) as well as the social nature of the relationship (Zippay 1995) and instrumental support, including transportation, problem-solving, and securing resources (Blinn-Pike et al 1998).…”

Structure and stability of maternal support among pregnant and parenting adolescents

“…Pregnant teens often experience health problems including high rates of anemia, toxemia, hypertension, and prolonged labor (Camp, Holman, & Ridgway, 1993;Geronimus, 1986Geronimus, , 1987Marsh & Wirick, 1991;McDonough, 1985;Quint, 1991;Weinman, 1990). The risk of delivering premature and low birth weight infants, as well as infants who have serious physical and neurological defects (Anastasiow, 1987), is heightened among all adolescents, but particularly those under the age of 18 (Geronimus, 1987).…”