Perceived consequences of teenage childbearing among adolescent girls in an urban sample.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived positive consequences of teenage childbearing among female adolescents, and to determine whether perceived consequences of teenage childbearing are associated with other attitudes and sexual risk behaviors.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 584 female students attending three urban high schools in Los Angeles, California. The respondents' mean age was 15.8 years, and 72% were Hispanic/Latina. Respondents completed a paper-and-pencil survey assessing their attitudes and risk behaviors relevant to teenage pregnancy. Multiple regression and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between perceived consequences of teenage childbearing and demographic variables, educational variables, parental characteristics, psychosocial variables, attitudes, and sexual behavior.


RESULTS
Higher scores on a scale of perceived positive consequences of teenage childbearing were associated with increased risk of sexual intercourse and unprotected sexual intercourse. Higher scores on this scale were found among girls who were Latinas, were non-U.S. natives, had low levels of expected educational attainment, had low parental monitoring, had good communication with parents, and wished to have many children.


CONCLUSIONS
Potential strategies for preventing adolescent pregnancy include educating girls about the difficulties of teenage childbearing, countering their positive illusions about the expected benefits, and teaching them more adaptive ways to meet their emotional needs.
Unger
J B
JB
University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA.
Molina
G B
GB
Teran
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015141:Los Angeles; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*