“Sometimes You Don't Feel Ready to Be an Adult or a Mom:” The Experience of Adolescent Pregnancy

Abstract

PROBLEM. To obtain a description of pregnant adolescents' responses to the preparation for motherhood class curriculum. METHODS. The design of this study was based in the anthropological tradition of qualitative research, ethnography; N= 36. FINDINGS. Within one category identified in this study, maternal role, three primary themes emerged: responsibility, respect, and reparation. CONCLUSIONS. The findings of this study indicate that for some adolescents, pregnancy implies a desire and an opportunity to heal childhood wounds if relevant psychotherapeutic interventions can be provided. Nurses can identib pregnant teens who are already suffering with depression and encourage them to seek counseling prior to the birtk of tkeir baby before they are experiencing the added stressors inherent in new motherhood.