Title: Teenage pregnancy: seeking patterns that promote family harmony.

POPLINE Document Number: 101438

Author(s):

Trad PV

Source citation:

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, 1994 Spring;22(1):42-56.

Abstract:

Adolescents are at increased risk of pregnancy when they assert independence from parents, when their cognitive orientation interferes with prediction of long-term outcomes, and when they act out of family discord. The US teenage pregnancy rate is 96/1000 persons aged 15-19 years. The suggestion is that education programs have failed to address adolescents' developmental orientation. Previewing is one counseling methodology that could help the teenage become aware of outcomes. 1 out of 5 million sexually active adolescents become pregnant each year. The case history involved a white Caucasian teenager from an intact, upper middle class suburban household who had an abortion at the age of 14 years. The teenager became pregnant again and miscarried within 2 months of the abortion. She received a psychiatric evaluation and expressed the desire to have a baby and the feeling of still being the baby in her family, having 2 older siblings. The family history of marital discord was described. Family and individual therapy were arranged. The example of dialogue between the teenager and therapist indicated the teenager's inability to convey cause and effect sequences in a coherent fashion. The teenager's birth was an expression of unresolved conflict between the parents about a prior abortion. The power structure within the family was the following: the teenager and her mother allied against her father. The development of the teenager in the context of family conflict led to self-destructive behavior. The previewing techniques helped the teenager with her sense of mastery and control over her life, which replaced the need to challenge authority figures. The teenager learned how to articulate her needs for experimentation and the long-term implications of becoming pregnant. In the individual sessions, the previewing focused on details omitted in Jessica's perceptions in order to better predict future outcomes of behavior.

Keywords:

United States
Case Histories
Adolescent Pregnancy
Social Adjustment
Family Size, Desired
Psychosocial Factors
Knowledge
Family Relationships
Interpersonal Relations
Child Development
Counseling
Developed Countries
North America
Americas
Data Collection
Research Methodology
Reproductive Behavior
Fertility
Population Dynamics
Demographic Factors
Population
Social Behavior
Behavior
Family Size
Family Characteristics
Family and Household
Biology
Clinic Activities
Program Activities
Programs
Organization and Administration