A Longitudinal Examination of Support, Self-esteem, and Mexican-origin Adolescent Mothers' Parenting Efficacy.
Guided by a risk and resilience framework, this study used a prospective longitudinal, multiple-reporter design to examine how social support from a mother figure during pregnancy interacted with Mexican-origin adolescent mothers' self-esteem to inform their parenting efficacy when their children were 10 months old. Using reports of perceived social support by adolescent mothers (Mage= 16.24,SD=099) and their mother figures (Mage= 40.84,SD= 7.04) in 205 dyads, and controlling for demographic factors (i.e., adolescent age, adolescent nativity, family income, mothers' educational attainment, adolescent-mother coresidence) and adolescents' social support from a significant other, findings indicated that social support during pregnancy was positively associated with adolescent mothers' future parenting efficacy when adolescent mothers had relatively lower self-esteem. Findings were consistent for adolescents' and mothers' reports, and emphasize the value of social support from a mother figure among adolescent mothers with lower self-esteem. Implications for interventions are presented.
The School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3701.
Adriana J
AJ
Umaña-Taylor
Amy B
AB
Guimond
Kimberly A
KA
Updegraff
Laudan
L
Jahromi
Latino; Mexican-origin; adolescent mothers; parenting efficacy; social support