Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Understanding adolescent parenthood from a multisystemic perspective
Patricia A Cavazos-Rehg1, Edward L Spitznagel, Melissa J Krauss
1Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. rehgp@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Summary
Early daily cigarette smoking and conduct disorder symptoms are linked to adolescent parenthood. Parental alcohol problems and death also increase risk for women, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Social Epidemiology
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Adolescent parenthood is a complex issue influenced by various social, behavioral, and environmental factors.
- Understanding these contributing factors is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention programs.
- Previous research has identified several risk factors, but a comprehensive analysis integrating multiple domains is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between social, behavioral, and environmental factors and adolescent parenthood.
- To identify specific predictors that increase the risk of early childbearing in adolescents.
- To inform targeted prevention efforts for at-risk populations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from a nationally representative sample (n=7,937) of adults aged 18-30 from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions.
- Utilized an extended Cox proportional hazards model to determine time to adolescent parenthood.
- Investigated predictors including substance use initiation (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, daily cigarettes), conduct disorder symptoms, parental substance problems, parental death, parental divorce/separation, race/ethnicity, and gender.
Main Results:
- Initiation of daily cigarette smoking, early conduct disorder symptoms, and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with adolescent parenthood.
- For women, parental alcohol/drug problems and parental death were also linked to adolescent parenthood.
- A notable interaction showed daily smoking increased adolescent parenthood risk more for white and Hispanic women compared to African American women; no link found for alcohol, marijuana, cocaine initiation, or parental divorce/separation.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent parenthood is associated with specific behavioral (daily smoking, conduct disorder) and family environmental factors (parental substance use, parental death).
- Prevention strategies should prioritize adolescents exhibiting these risk factors.
- Tailoring interventions based on race/ethnicity and substance use patterns may enhance effectiveness.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
01:27Parenting Styles
Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
01:17Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
Erik Erikson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, "identity versus role confusion," is crucial during adolescence (ages 12 to 18). In this stage, adolescents face the developmental task of forging a distinct personal identity, a process influenced by social, psychological, and biological changes typical of this period. Adolescents naturally explore different roles, behaviors, and ideologies as they navigate complex questions of self-concept, asking, "Who am I?" and "What is my place in...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...