Self-Perceptions of Parenting Among Adolescent Mothers

Abstract

Using a descriptive correlational design, this study examined factors that contribute to self-perceptions of parenting among adolescent mothers 4 to 6 weeks postpartum. Healthy, first-time, 13-to 19-year-old adolescent mothers (n ¼ 126) identified their own mothers as their primary source for social support. Additionally, the more tangible the support from the adolescent's mother, the lower the evaluation of self-perceptions of parenting. Older, more educated adolescent mothers were more positive in self-perceptions of parenting, suggesting that older adolescents have different needs in terms of parenting than younger adolescent mothers. These findings are important for designing and implementing nursing care and educating adolescents about the importance of social support, education, and parenting.

How Adolescent Mothers Feel About Becoming a Parent

“…Adolescent mothers in my preliminary study identified their own mother as a consistent, dependable source of emotional support that positively influenced their self-perceptions of parenting (DeVito, 2007). The more emotional support the adolescents received Adolescent mothers are faced with the dual challenge of progressing through the stages of adolescence and, at the same time, adapting to the maternal role.…”

“…Their ability to adjust to the role of being a new mother is often influenced by characteristics associated with their particular stage of adolescence. For example, a young mother in the early stage of adolescence still needs to be ''mothered'' by her own mother or a person in her life who acts as her mother (DeVito, 2007;Mercer, 1995Mercer, , 2004. Adolescent mothers, therefore, have specific needs for help to successfully navigate through the combined demands of adolescent development and their role as a new parent.…”

“…Some of the factors that contribute to a firsttime adolescent mother's self-perceptions of parenting, especially during the 4-to-6-week postpartum period, include social support from the adolescent's mother, social support from the father of the baby, and the adolescent's level of education (DeVito, 2007). The preliminary study's findings-some of which are summarized below-were based on quantitative data collected from a sample of 126, first-time adolescent mothers, aged up to 19 years old, who completed a series of study instruments: (a) a demographic form; (b) the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (Norbeck, Lindsey, & Carrieri, 1981, 1983; and (c) the What Being the Parent of a New Baby is Like -Revised instrument (Pridham & Chang, 1985, 1989.…”

“…Based on a descriptive-correlational design, the preliminary study examined factors that contribute to adolescent mothers' self-perceptions related to their new role as parents (DeVito, 2007). Findings from the study's quantitative data revealed several influencing factors, such as level of education, social support from the adolescent's mother and from the baby's father, and differences in adolescent age groups.…”

Grant Writing for Childbirth Educators: Lessons Learned From the Resource Center for Young Parents-To-Be

“…Evaluating the outcomes as a group in need of prenatal education services; the goal was to decrease the rates of child abuse and neglect in this population. The center's targeted group of pregnant teenagers often does not attend regularly scheduled prenatal education classes (DeVito, 2007), so the center developed a series of classes implemented in the teens' school setting to allow them to attend in a location and at a time convenient to them. Other potential groups in the childbirth educator's community could be recent immigrants or specific ethnic or religious minority groups who may have language and cultural barriers to obtaining childbirth education classes.…”