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…

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…

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)

Examines narratives and novels written for young adults that deal with teenage pregnancy and parenting. Discusses eight common messages found in 17 such short stories and books, and notes three areas of significant silence. (SR)

Examined teen mothers' (N=94) romanticism and self-esteem so as to investigate these variables' relationships among ten independent variables, (e.g., age and sexual activity). Results indicate that five variables were significantly related to romanticism (previous abortion, etc.), whereas two variables were connected to self-esteem (age and birth…

Adolescent pregnancy has occurred throughout America's history. Only in recent years has it been deemed an urgent crisis, as more young adolescent mothers give birth outside of marriage. At-risk circumstances associated with adolescent pregnancy include medical and health complications, less schooling and higher dropout rates, lower career…

This study explored the differences between African American and Latina female adolescents who desire to become pregnant and those who do not. Five hundred and thirty-one sexually experienced, never pregnant adolescents completed surveys containing questions about demographics, sexual behavior and contraceptive use, sexual and contraceptive…

For the past several decades, the teenage birth rate in the United States has exceeded that of other industrialized nations. To explore the factors behind this high birth rate, this volume summarizes recent research conducted in the United States on the perceived causes of teenage childbearing. This review is organized around the events leading to…

This publication reports trends in teen childbearing in the nation, in each state, and in large cities using data from the 2001 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Rates of teenage childbearing continue to steadily decline, and the 2001 rates are historic lows for each age group. NCHS data showed that almost 80% of teen births nationwide…

This report presents ethnographic case studies of the life circumstances and experiences of 18 low-income adolescents who participated in Project Redirection, a national program which provides educational and family planning services at the local level to pregnant teens and mothers. Information on the teens' family background, patterns of…

This publication reports trends in teen childbearing in the Nation, in each state, and in large cities using data from the 2000 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Rates of teenage childbearing steadily declined during the 1990s, reaching a record low in 2000. Rates declined for both younger and older teens and for blacks, whites, and…

This catalog of products from the Data Archive on Adolescent Pregnancy and Pregnancy Prevention (DAAPPP) contains a list of DAAPPP social science Data Sets on topics related to teenage pregnancy and family planning. Each Data Set listing contains the following information: (1) name of study or program; (2) name of investigator or sponsoring…

The Mott Foundation has been involved with the issue of teenage pregnancy for 15 years, and has supported a network of programs with the main objective of finding new ways to deal with the negative consequences of teenage pregnancy. This report, which reflects the Foundation's perspective, is divided into six sections. The first provides an…

This paper reports on a study of teenage sexual activity and pregnancy in Utah, conducted to understand ways of dealing with the State's rising adolescent fertility rate. The paper identifies social and cultural characteristics which distinguish sexually active youth from their abstinent peers. Related research is reviewed and methodology is…

Reports on a study to determine how socioeconomic status influences adolescent premarital pregnancy. Finds that African Americans' risk of pregnancy is heightened by both contraceptive behavior and exposure to sexual intercourse. Also finds that the mother's educational level is a powerful inhibitor of pregnancy for both African Americans and…