title: Personal narratives of adolescent mothers-to-be: contraception, decision making, and future expectations.
abstract: Results not discussed in a previously published qualitative study (Spear, 2001) are presented in this article. Analysis of the personal narratives of eight pregnant adolescents who attended an alternative school for pregnant teens yielded the following categories: decision making, contraceptive behavior and sexual attitudes, and future expectations. The findings revealed that decisions regarding pregnancy were made with little deliberation and some participants implied that pregnancy was planned. Although knowledgeable about how to prevent pregnancy, participants did not consistently practice contraception and their sexual experiences were marked by indifference and lacked intimacy. Future expectations consistently included support from the fathers of their unborn children. Implications for nursing practice and further research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24502, USA. hspear@liberty.edu
authors.forename: Hila J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Spear
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D033262:Narration; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires