Prenatal and parenting programs for adolescent mothers

Adolescence is a time of risk taking and exploration. The adolescent's exploration of the developmental and physical changes taking place often puts the adolescent at greater risk than at any other time in life. The risk-taking behaviors involve sexual activity, experimentation with substances including cigarettes and alcohol, rebellion against paternal norms, suicidal behavior, and violence. This chapter focuses on the potential outcome of one of these risky behaviors: sexual activity. The intent is to summarize the findings of the research community on the pregnancy and parenting programs for adolescents. A summary of some of the recent research and demonstration projects for pregnant and parenting adolescents is provided. Published and unpublished articles from a variety of disciplines are included. These articles vary by method, type of program, location, and outcome measurement. Methodological issues related to the preponderance of quasi-experimental designs with small samples and demonstration projects are addressed. The lack of theoretically driven, longitudinal research that is specific to the developmental level of the population is discussed, and directions are suggested for future research.