Natali Diaz,
Kimberly Jean Leger
and Ailyn Rodriguez
 To
what extent does the community of Miami
Dade find teen pregnancy acceptable?
 Random
sampling.
 Group members
traveled to three
supermarkets in
Miami Dade County
as well as the
Graham Center at
Florida
International
University to
collect data.
FIU
3
North Miami
Beach
2
Flagler
8
Kendall
8
3
forced choice questions
 6 open-ended questions
 6 demographic questions
Dear Member of the Community:
You are being asked to share your perceptions of teen pregnancy by students within the
School of Social Work at Florida International University. These BSW students are
enrolled within a class on social work practice with communities and organizations. They
are interested in gathering information about how people perceive teen pregnancy.
Your participation within this interview is voluntary, and confidential. You do not have
to answer any question that may concern you. Your identity and contact information will
not be divulged. Answers are looked at from a group perspective; not by an individual’s
responses.
By signing this form, you are granting your permission to be interviewed and to share
your perceptions with these students. At any time during the interview you may choose to
not answer an item or to withdraw from further questioning.
If you have any questions about this research project or experience any discomfort, please
feel free to contact me, as the students’ professor:
Nan Van Den Bergh, PhD, LCSW
Associate Professor, School of Social Work
GL#479
305-348-5522
vandenan@fiu.edu
I, _____________________________________hereby give my permission to be
interviewed for purposes of sharing my perceptions of teen pregnancy with FIU social
work students
Signed:_____________________________________________________Date:________
 Have
you or anyone you know
experienced teen pregnancy?
Categories
Number
Distribution
Yes
15
71%
No
6
29%
Total:
21
100%

Mode (most common answer): Yes
 What
thoughts come to your mind when you
hear the term “teen pregnancy”?
Category
Number
Distribution
(N=21)
Sadness
6
29%
Feeling of regret
3
14%
Immaturity
6
29%
Technical definition
2
10%
Troubled relationships 1
5%
TV Show
1
5%
Ruined future
3
14%
Struggle
4
19%
Blessing
1
5%
Shame
3
14%
Lack of education
2
10%
*For this
question,
some
participants
provided
more than
one answer.
Mode:
Sadness and
immaturity

What are the potential positive aspects of having
a child during the teen years?
Category
Number
Distribution (N=21)
Becoming more mature
5
24%
Being a young parent
6
29%
Healthy baby
1
5%
Family support
1
5%
No advantages
10
48%

For this question, some participants provided
more than one answer.

Mode: No advantages
 Please
name a maximum of three
disadvantages, if any, associated with teen
pregnancy.
Category
Number
Distribution (N=21)
Loss of youth
7
33%
Less time for career
2
10%
Stress
4
19%
Education is hindered
15
71%
Financial challenges
8
38%
Resentment
2
10%
Strained relationships
6
29%
Not ready for parenthood
3
14%
Less Opportunities
1
5%
Shame
1
5%
For this
question,
some
participants
provided
more than
one answer.
Mode:
Education is
hindered
 Do
you believe that that if a teen is married
it is more acceptable to have a child?
Category
Number
Distribution
Yes
3
14%
No
15
71%
Undecided
3
14%
Total:
21
100%
 Mode:
No (71%)
 What
do you believe are potential risk
factors for teen pregnancy?
Category
Number
Distribution
(N=21)
Teen’s upbringing
6
29%
Immaturity
1
5%
Media
4
19%
Peer pressure
3
14%
Lack of education
2
10%
Early sexual relationships 1
5%
Unsafe sex
1
5%
No answer
11
52%
*For this
question,
some
participants
provided
more than
one answer
Mode: No
answer
 Do
you believe that social media such
as the show “Teen Mom” have an
effect on how teens view pregnancy?
Category
Number
Distribution
Yes
13
62%
No
2
10%
Never seen
show
6
29%
Total:
21
100%
 Mode:
Yes

If so, what are the positive and/or negative effects?
Positive Effects
#
Dist.
(N=13)
Negative Effects
# Dist.
(N=13)
Serves as a
warning
12
92%
Unrealistic
5 38%
Makes it seem
acceptable
3 23%
Idolization of
characters
5 38%



For this question, some participants provided more
than one answer
Mode (positive effects): Serves as a warning
Mode (negative effects): Idolization of characters and
the fact that the show is unrealistic
Race/Ethnicity
Hispanic
- 11
10%
9%
29%
52%
NonHispanic
White- 6
African
American
-2
Haitian2
Mode Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic
Mode Gender: Female
Gender
24%
76%
Male- 5
Female16
50%
45%
40%
35%
0-17: 1
18-24: 9
25-35: 5
36-46: 4
47+: 2
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Age
Mean: 29
Mode: 21.5
Median: 25
Income
Educational Attainment
Less than
High School1
High School
Diploma- 2
None- 5
5%
24%
Low- 6
28%
Middle
Class- 9
100K+: 1
43%
Mode Income: Middle Class
Mode Educational
Attainment: AA Degree
19%
5%
14%
9%
24%
29%
Some
college- 5
AA- 6
Bachelor's- 3
Master's +: 4
35%
30%
Spouse & Children: 5
25%
20%
Living with parents:
6
Living with spouse: 4
15%
Single Parent: 1
10%
Single: 4
5%
Foster Family: 1
0%
Household Composition

We are sick and tired and we just want to graduate.
…Just kidding.. Sort of

Conclusions:


71% of our participants had either experienced teen pregnancy
themselves or knew someone who had. This indicates that teen
pregnancy is very widespread in Miami Dade County. However, the
majority of the opinions expressed in the open ended questions
demonstrate negative themes and attitudes with regards to teen
pregnancy. Furthermore, most participants believed that the
media encourages teenagers to want to be mothers, despite all of
the disadvantages to teen pregnancy that were commonly
expressed.
 More
sex education programs directed
toward both home and school in order to
reduce teen pregnancy rates in Miami Dade
County.
 Promotion
of participation in extra curricular
activities that empower young women.
Congratulations
class of 2012!!!