Citation
Hollander, D. (2009). Motherhood is not to blame.
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. vol. 41 (4) pp. 200
Abstract
Teenage mothers experience greater psychological distress than either their childless peers or older mothers, but parenthood does not appear to be the cause.1 Researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to compare psychological measures between teenage mothers and childless teenagers, and data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) to compare teenage and older mothers; both nationally representative data sets showed differences in the expected directions. The difference persisted at least into young adulthood, according to Add Health—and well into women’s 30s, according to the ECLS-B. In further analyses of the Add Health data, the relationship between teenage motherhood and psychological distress was explained by differences between teenage mothers and their childless peers in socioeconomic status, academic achievement, family structure and sexual experience. Additionally, among poor young women, high levels of psychological distress were predictive of adolescent childbearing.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1363%2F4120009Reference Type
Journal Article
Journal Title
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Author(s)
Hollander, D.
Year Published
2009
Volume Number
41
Issue Number
4
Pages
200
ISSN/ISBN
1538-6341
DOI
10.1363/4120009
Reference ID
1040
