This article examines the literature on schooling for teenage mothers in order to expose the normalizing discourses that position young mothers as at risk for failure. Through an exploration of the historical and socio-cultural positioning of teenage mothers over the past few decades, the author illustrates the schooled responses to adolescent…

There are no obvious or easy prescriptions for reversing the trends of the familial challenges that have grown deeper and wider in the last fifty years in regard to the number of babies born to unwed mothers, with the majority of all children born to women in their 20s. This article discusses the challenges regarding the marriage crisis in…

While recent research has shown the long-term effects of teen pregnancy are not as devastating as once predicted, more than 40 years after the passage of Title IX legislation mandating equal educational opportunities for pregnant and parenting teens, only 50% of teen parents graduate high school, lagging far behind their non-parenting peers. This…

Can the use of a method such as role play help reduce sexual risk behaviour among KwaZulu-Natal learners? A study was undertaken of the use of role plays by Grade 8 learners, at eight urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal high schools, as part of a programme to reduce the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. Within the framework of Bandura's Social Cognitive…

Contested social norms underlie public concern about adults' and teenagers' nonmarital pregnancy. The original, vignette-based National Pregnancy Norms Survey (N = 812) measures these norms and related sanctions. Descriptive analyses report embarrassment at the prospect of a nonmarital pregnancy by age and gender of hypothetical prospective…

Two aspects of teenage fertility are examined in this paper: (1) teenage fertility, in general, does not follow the conventional family formation process in which conception follows marriage; and (2) there are considerable differences between White and non-White teenagers in proportions either pregnant outside of marriage or single at delivery.…

The historical context of teen pregnancy in the US and its evolution to the present embodiment of the predominantly urban "welfare mother" developed from specific socio-historical contexts that deemed early childbirth, especially illegitimate pregnancies, as morally and socially deviant. Two conceptual elements missing within the literature on…

Measured self-esteem of 93 unmarried adolescent females upon entry into several state-sponsored training programs. Discovered significant differences concerning the impact of early motherhood on subjects. Symbolic importance of motherhood, as a passage into adult status, and intervening effects of normative group anchorage may mediate between…

Surveyed 498 Kansas City residents to determine their attitudes regarding contraception and resolution of teenage pregnancy. Results showed 80 percent favored contraceptives for adolescents. Over half favored keeping the baby or placing it for adoption, while 40 percent favored abortion. Responses showed significant demographic differences. (JAC)

A mid-1970s study of the characteristics of pregnant unmarried mothers who keep their children and those who surrender them for adoption discloses some differences from the characteristics of such mothers in the late 1960s and early 1970s. (CM)

The authors review trends in the problem area of teen pregnancy and the consequences of early parenthood for the family. Current efforts in this problem area are highlighted. The authors make seven recommendations to home economists. (CH)

Examines existing studies on adolescents' decision making about adoption and parenting and proposes some theoretical and methodological considerations for future investigations. Concluded that this issue has been inadequately researched and that most of the literature does not consider the capacity of adolescents to make decisions. (LLL)

Describes the services of a community-based center providing social services to adolescent parents who cannot yet function independently and who had not previously been served. Emphasis is placed on continuity of services and on cooperation with existing educational, medical, and social institutions. (Author/DB)

Explores the impact of teenage pregnancy and childbearing on the families of the adolescents and examines the amount and type of support extended by the family of origin to the pregnant teenager. (Author/GC)

Discusses the research on young, unmarried fathers, and emphasizes the need to understand more about the phenomenon of out-of-wedlock childbearing and the relationship of this phenomenon to poverty and welfare recipiency. (PCB)