title: Responses of seventh grade students to "do you have a partner with whom you would like to have a baby?".
abstract: This study investigated differences in demographic data, self-esteem, and coping skills for 225 students in Grade 7 who reported having a partner with whom they wanted to have a baby and 946 students who did not. Data were collected on the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Family Crisis-oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, and questions related to attitudes towards teen pregnancy and demographic data. The sample included 548 (46.8%) boys and 624 (53.2%) girls whose mean age was 13.2 yr. Students with a partner had significantly lower scores on the curriculum questions, self-esteem, and family coping skills, combined with higher scores in passivity. They indicated a desire to have a greater number of children, beginning by having their first child at a younger age and believed that having a baby improves a couple's relationship. Possible approaches may include effective teaching methods to overcome passivity through boosting self-confidence, goal-setting, and acquiring a purpose in life besides parenting a child.
authors.affiliation: University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Department of Community and Family Health, Tampa 33612, USA. kperrin@hsc.usf.edu
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dindial
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003380:Courtship; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept