ISSUES IN EXPANDING FAMILIES:
TEENAGE PARENTHOOD
Individuals and Families: Diverse Perspectives
Chapter 11 - Unit 4
Teenage Parenthood
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Becoming a teen parent impacts an individual
immediately
They are launched into the adult world, with adult
expectations and adult responsibilities
Unsurprisingly, teenaged parents and their
children are seen to have more negative outcomes
than adult families and lone-parent families
(Dryburgh, 2001)
Teenaged Parenthood
What are your assumptions about
teenaged pregnancy?
Fewer Teenaged Parents
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Teen pregnancies are declining
Research suggests that teens are beginning to
engage in sexual activities at a later age
There is an increase in the use of condoms
(Rotermann, 2008)
The rate of abortions has increased for teens
aged 15 to 17 (Dryburgh, 2001)
Immigrant teens have a lower likelihood of
being teen mothers than native Canadian
teens who are not visible minorities (Luong,
2008)
Date
Number
of Births
by Teen
Mothers
1997
19 724
2007
16 180
(Ambert, 2006)
What would life resemble?
What are some characteristics
that clearly describe a teenaged
parent?
Who are teenaged parents?
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In the early 1970s, 75% of teen mothers were
married
Currently, almost 80% of teen mothers are
unmarried
Most, single teen mothers live at home with their
parents
Often teen mothers were born to teen parents—
which means that the cycle continues (Ambert,
2006)
Outcomes of Teenage Pregnancy
How can the
changes in the
chart be
explained?
How might the
chart look
today?
Teen Parents
More likely to experience more family
transitions
Have a higher probability of multiple
cohabitations
More likely to move in and out of
relationships
Have a difficult time finding
employment
Have income fluctuations and are
more likely to be poor
Have lower education
Tend to be socially isolated
(Ambert, 2006)
What about teen fathers?
Research on the father’s role in parenting has been limited
Research on teen fathers is even more limited because far
fewer teen fathers maintain a relationship with their children
Teen fathers:
1. Less educated than older fathers
2. Associate more with deviant peers
3. Tend to be unemployed or work in lower-paying jobs
4. Due to the social status of being a teen father, they may be
more involved when children are younger, but this lessens
as the children become older
(Ambert, 2006)
Consequences of Teen Pregnancy
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Teen pregnancy affects many individuals and has
an impact on many societal structures
The consequences impact:
The parents
The child
The parents of the teenaged parent
Effects on Parents
The health and social
issues that teen
parents experience
Socially, have less in common with parents
that are older
Poor physical health due to living conditions
and habits
Higher rates of depression
Diminished parenting ability
More stress
More likely to have the child removed from
home
More likely to experience abuse or sexual
assault
Greater chance of addiction
(Ambert, 2006)
Style of Parenting use by Teens
Teen parents tend to use authoritarian
or permissive parenting styles and
research indicates that children are
better adjusted when parents use an
authoritative style of parenting.
Effects on the Child
The children of teenaged parents face many challenges:
They are more likely to be aggressive, hostile and hyperactive
Tend to perform more poorly in school
They are more likely to become young offenders if they are not
properly supervised
Older children of teenaged parents may continue the cycle of poverty
due to lack of education and limited employment opportunities
(Ambert, 2006)
Effects on the Parents of the
Teen Parent
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Between 30% and 50% of teen mothers live
with their parents after the birth of their child
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This causes age condensing which means that
several life-course stages are overlapping
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Often new grandparents may be approaching
middle age and are dealing with their own
stresses
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Conflicts may arise over childcare
responsibilities, education, finances, and
parenting styles
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Some poor families may not have the
resources to support the teen parent
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Some parents do not offer their teen any
support
(Ambert, 2006)
Teens and Society
How does society react to
teenaged parenthood?
The Reaction of a Society
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Due to the negative consequences of teen pregnancy,
society implements a number of preventative policies
to reduce the number of children born to teenagers
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Governments also implement social policies to support
teen parents
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Social supports should address the factors that can
improve the long-term outcome of children of
teenaged parents
Where can teens find help?
What social
agencies are
available in your
community to help
teen parents and
their children?