Examining external and internal poverty as antecedents of teen pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To identify antecedents of teen pregnancy.


METHODS
Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study were analyzed. This data set allowed us to identify eighth-grade antecedents of teen pregnancy/childbearing.


RESULTS
The variables that were found to be most predictive of later pregnancy were reflective of internal poverty (locus of control, subject's educational expectations, and confidence in graduating from high school) and external poverty (parents' highest education).


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention programs must begin before the eighth grade, instill an internal locus of control, promote academic achievement by enriching children's perception of personal life options for which an education is needed, empower children and their familial models, and prevent internal poverty.
Young
Tamera
T
School of Human Environmental Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA. tmyoung@uark.edu
Turner
Jean
J
Denny
George
G
Young
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology