title: Personality factors related to black teenage pregnancy and abortion.
abstract: 48 pregnant adolescents who applied for therapeutic abortions (TAs) were compared with 55 adolescents who planned to have their babies (Terms) and 67 adolescents who were not pregnant (Controls) on the California Psychological Inventory (CPI).  All the subjects were single, black, and ages 15-16.  CPI results point to psychological differences with the Controls being most socialized, followed by the TAs, and then the Terms.  Term girls seem to be experiencing a void and appear to be trying to fill it by assuming an adult role and having a baby; the TAs do not seem to have these same needs.  In addition, those girls who became pregnant and described the relationship with the putative father as casual, appear on the CPI to have more daily problems, lack socialization, be less clear thinking, and have poor self-control.  Pregnant girls who have good communication with their mothers showed no differences on the CPI from girls with poor communication with their mothers.
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000569:Americas; D001519:Behavior; D003469:Culture; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D005006:Ethnicity; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005195:Family Relations; D005298:Fertility; D007086:Illegitimacy; D009035:Mothers; D009656:North America; D009657:North Carolina; D010290:Parents; D011153:Population; D011154:Population Characteristics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011584:Psychology; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012106:Research; D012107:Research Design; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012942:Social Sciences; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States
keywords: Abortion, Induced; Adolescents; Adolescents, Female; Age Factors; Americas; Behavior; Blacks; Control Groups; Cultural Background; Data Analysis; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Ethnic Groups; Family And Household; Family Characteristics; Family Planning; Family Relationships; Fertility; Fertility Control, Postconception; Measurement; Mothers; North America; North Carolina; Northern America; Parents; Population; Population Characteristics; Population Dynamics; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Psychological Factors; Psychology; Psychology, Social; Reproductive Behavior; Research Methodology; Social Sciences; Testing; United States; Unmarried Mothers; Youth