Adolescent girls' personal experience with Baby Think It Over infant simulator.
OBJECTIVE
To explore adolescent girls' personal experience with an infant simulator that had to be cared for over a period of 1 to 2 weeks.


METHODS
This qualitative study employed the phenomenological approach and utilized Colaizzi's method of analysis. Participants were nine adolescent high school girls who were interviewed and audiotaped. Interview data were coded using NUD*IST 4 software.


RESULTS
Three themes emerged from the data. They were (1) a parenting journey incorporating intellectual, emotive, and physical faculties; (2) recognizing the illusionary nature of previously held ideas about parenting an infant; and (3) offering counsel based on the BTIO experience.


CONCLUSIONS
The new perspectives gained by the participants about parenting a newborn infant differed markedly from the romantic fantasies they held prior to the experience. The teens started thinking more seriously about the consequences of sexual activity. Used for 1 to 2 weeks, in conjunction with budgeting exercises and provocative small-group discussions, the BTIO shows promise as an effective tool in helping to modify unrealistic and idealized teen views of adolescent pregnancy and parenting.
Malinowski
Ann
A
University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Stamler
Lynnette Leeseberg
LL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008348:Manikins; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012381:Role Playing; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods*