Successful contraceptive behavior among adolescent mothers: are there predictors?
Of 43 adolescent mothers who had been enrolled in a specialized program of prenatal care, 20 reported no subsequent unplanned pregnancy for 2 years. Descriptive statistics were used to identify differences between these nonrepeaters and 23 repeaters. The locus-of-control framework provided the theoretical basis for the study. The two study groups and those lost to follow-up were similar in demographic characteristics. School attendance, contraceptive knowledge, use of contraception, locus of control, and maternal support did not effectively differentiate the two groups. Program activities, including attendance at prenatal groups and nurse/social worker visits, also did not explain recidivism. Implications of these findings for health care providers and for further research are discussed.
Adams
B N
BN
University of Rochester School of Nursing and Pediatrics, New York 14642.
McAnarney
E R
ER
Panzarine
S
S
Tuttle
J I
JI
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires