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  • Title: Cognitive, psychosocial, and reported sexual behavior differences between pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents.
    Author: Holden GW, Nelson PB, Velasquez J, Ritchie KL.
    Journal: Adolescence; 1993; 28(111):557-72. PubMed ID: 8237543.
    Abstract:
    A wide variety of variables have been related to the occurrence of adolescent pregnancy. However, many previous studies have produced conflicting results and are univariate in nature. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents on variables from three domains: cognitive, psychosocial, and reported sexual behavior. Sixty-nine pregnant adolescents and 58 comparison adolescents filled out nine questionnaires presented on microcomputers. Significant differences were found on 10 of 24 univariate tests. The strongest differences concerned areas of scholastic functioning and reported sexual behavior; pregnant teenagers were more likely than nonpregnant peers to be doing poorly in school and less likely to use contraceptives. In addition, pregnant teenagers were more likely to have a relative or friend who was an adolescent mother and to expect child rearing to be easier than did the nonpregnant adolescents. A discriminant analysis was computed which correctly classified 83% of the sample, based on variables from each of the three domains. This study has served to replicate, refute, and expand on previous findings concerning the antecedents of teenage pregnancy. More importantly, this study has empirically demonstrated the multivariate and interrelated nature of variables associated with teenage pregnancy. A comparison of pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents revealed that each of 3 competing models of the antecedents of adolescent pregnancy--cognitive, psychosocial, and sexual behavior--contributed to differentiating these 2 populations. The sample was comprised of 128 high school students (average age, 16 years) from a southwestern US city, 69 (54%) of whom were currently pregnant. In the univariate analyses, 10 of the 24 tests (42%) significantly differentiated pregnant from nonpregnant teenagers. In contrast to their nonpregnant counterparts, pregnant adolescents had lower grades, expected child-rearing to be easier, had a lower perception of their self-worth, were more likely to have a close relative who was a teenage parent or a close friend who was pregnant and a greater percentage of unprotected intercourse. Notable was the nonsignificance of several variables that have been found to be correlates of adolescent pregnancy in other studies, including locus of control, problem solving, social support, and future orientation. The multivariate analysis correctly classified 83% of the sample into pregnant or nonpregnant categories. Contraceptive Practices was the factor that entered the equation first, followed by (in descending order) Academic Performance, Social Modelling, Responsibility and School Testing and Expectations about Parenting. The only factor that do not enter into the equation was Decision Making/Esteem. The findings of this study can be used by school guidance counselors to construct a profile of students at risk of pregnancy and design appropriate preventive interventions. It must be kept in mind, however, that this was not a prospective study and some of the differences observed could be attributable to the impact of the pregnancy itself.
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