School importance and dropout among pregnant adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the relationship of psychological well-being, social support, and demographic variables to school importance and school dropout among pregnant teens.


METHODS
Fifty-one Caucasians and 68 African-Americans (mean age = 16.7 years, mean weeks pregnant = 23) were recruited from two Baltimore area prenatal teen clinics. The adolescents completed questionnaires measuring depression, self-esteem, mastery, parental and friend support, demographic characteristics (i.e., age, marital status, ethnicity, socioeconomic status), school importance, and status.


RESULTS
Most adolescents were enrolled in school or had graduated (69.7%), were receiving at least passing grades (78.7%), and perceived finishing high school as very important (76.7%). Blacks were more likely to say school was important (p < 0.001), were less likely to drop out (p < 0.01), and received higher grades (p < 0.01) than whites. Dropouts had lower family incomes than current school attenders and graduates (p < 0.05). One measure of psychological well-being (mastery, p < 0.01) was positively correlated with school importance. Social support did not correlate with school importance or dropout.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that dropping out of school among pregnant teens may be more strongly related to sociocultural factors than to individual characteristics such as emotional support and psychological well-being. Overall, this study reveals a positive picture of educational continuation and performance during pregnancy, with most adolescents recognizing the importance of education and remaining in school.
Stevenson
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Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore 21250, USA.
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D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D015142:Baltimore; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D044465:White People