Conceptualizing community interventions in social service needs of pregnant adolescents

Traditional approaches to adolescent pregnancy have utilized the paradigm of single cause-single solution and have tended to define it as a pregnancy problem rather than as a parenting problem. The conceptual model presented emphasizes the importance of primary prevention efforts if approaches are to work. This model defines adolescent pregnancy as a parenting problem that is multicausal and thus requires multiple solutions. A community intervention model systematizes a coalition of effort that represent the three helping systems of the health, education, and community environment to ensure interaction among each of the systems to benefit the pregnant adolescent and her family. It uses a cost-effective pool of community volunteers to offer education and advocacy services. Of utmost importance is that it is guided by the belief that parenting is a continuum of experiences that requires the cooperation of all the helping systems to produce positive outcomes.