An evidence-based parenting intervention with inner-city teen mothers.
The consequences of teen pregnancy have a substantial negative impact on both the teen mother and her child. Recent evidence clearly supports parenting education as the most effective means for improving adolescent parenting skills. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based program using an evidence-based educational intervention to improve parenting style in high school teen mothers. Teen mothers, from 15 to 18 years of age, in a Title 1 high school were recruited from the Early Head Start program. Two groups of teens (N = 10) completed a pre-parenting style survey, enrolled in an 8- or 12-week group educational session, and completed a post-parenting style survey. While quantitative data did not yield a change in parenting style, qualitative findings highlighted a strong need for teens to "tell their story" and to share personal experiences related to parenting. These findings lend support for the role of parenting educational interventions in high schools with teens at high risk for pregnancy.
Medical University of South Carolina, College of Nursing, 99 Jonathan Lucas St., MSC 160, Charleston, SC 29425-1600, USA. williamt@musc.edu
Tiffany H
TH
Williams
Bonnie P
BP
Dumas
Barbara J
BJ
Edlund
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016487:Parenting; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D014505:Urban Population