"Sometimes you don't feel ready to be an adult or a mom:" the experience of adolescent pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a description of pregnant adolescents' responses to the preparation for motherhood class curriculum.


METHODS
The design of this study was based in the anthropological tradition of qualitative research, ethnography; N = 36.


RESULTS
Within one category identified in this study, maternal role, three primary themes emerged: responsibility, respect, and reparation.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study indicate that for some adolescents, pregnancy implies a desire and an opportunity to heal childhood wounds if relevant psychotherapeutic interventions can be provided. Nurses can identify pregnant teens who are already suffering with depression and encourage them to seek counseling prior to the birth of their baby before they are experiencing the added stressors inherent in new motherhood.
Lesser
J
J
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Nursing, USA.
Anderson
N L
NL
Koniak-Griffin
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012380:Role; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology