Term paper

Teen pregnancy has been a problem in the United States for years. Although rates have dropped since the 1990’s, teen pregnancy rates in the United States are still higher than other western societies (Arai, 2009). Teenage pregnancy is accompanied with many negative consequences such as shortened educational experience, diminished employment, larger family size, increased risk of single- parent and poverty (Turner, 1990). Teen mothers struggle on a daily basis. In order to help them through their struggle, they can benefit from a psychoeducational group that will teach them parenting skills, social skills, and provide them with the support they need in order to maintain a healthy life style. The population I will focus on is pregnant teenagers and teen mothers from the ages of 15-19. The group can also include teenage fathers. Psychoeducational groups will work best for this population because it will create a safe place where teenagers can learn parenting skills and have the support of one another (DeLucia, 2006). Since each teen is going through the same situation, they will be able to relate to one another and feel understood.
Infant Development
While there are negative consequences for the mother, the infant is also at risk by being born to a teenage mother. One of the most common occurrences is low birth weight (Strunk, 2008). Low birth weight increases the mortality rate. It also has long-term effects such as developmental and cognitive delays. Low birth weight can be caused by the mother’s lack of prenatal care, poor diet and stress (Strunk, 2008). Prior to becoming pregnant, the teen’s bodies are not prepared for the change. Pregnancy takes a toll on the body that most teens are not ready for. When their body is not ready, the baby can witness the negative effects (Strunk, 2008). The teens need to adopt healthier lifestyles once they become pregnant. They group will provide information about the importance of a healthy diet. They will also be encouraged to seek prenatal care and attend the necessary appointments. By teaching the girls the importance of health care, they will be able to carry it over to their child’s life. Lacking these skills is no surprise because the teens were not prepared to become mothers and have a lack of knowledge about child development (Strunk, 2008).
In addition, it is important that teens learn parenting skills. The teens need to be taught child care skills in order to better their life and the life of their child. Throughout life, the infant will depend on the parent for the basic needs of life. If the parent is not able to provide, the child will suffer. The group provides them with the support they need to implement the skills. The types of skills the girls can learn are… Also, teenage mothers are less likely to be responsive to their child, less positive child rearing attitudes, more likely to abuse their children (Kessler, Berglund, Foster, Saunders, Stang, &ump; Walters, 1997). Learning these skills can decrease this.
Mother’s Development
The stress that comes along with teen parenting is inevitable. It can stem from many aspects of their life such as school, financial responsibilities, and providing a safe environment for their child. Stress can be linked to an increase in psychological problems for the mother and increased birth complications (Turner, Grindstaff, &ump; Phillips, 1990). Teenage mothers are more prone to developing depression. However, receiving social support can decrease the amount of stress the teen experiences. When the amount of stress is decreases, the risk of birth complications also lowers (Turner et al., 1990). It also decreases depressive symptoms post birth.
Many teen mothers lack the support they need when they are going through this stage of life. While learning new skills, the teens are also able to gain a new support system. Turner et al. (1990) defines support as the presences of stable human relationships. The mothers need support because most of them, not all, come from a low socioeconomic status, minority status, urban living, and having single parent (Kessler et al., 1997). Having a stable human relationship can be hard to find living under these conditions. Therefore, the group is able to provide the mothers with the support they need in order to overcome the obstacles of teen pregnancy.
Mother’s Development
During the teenage years, individuals go through many developmental changes such as identity development, emerging independence, and developing intimate relationships with others (Oliver-Meadows, Sadler, Swartz, &ump; Ryan-Krause, 2007). When adding a baby to the equation, the situation only becomes harder and it puts stress on the development of the teenager. Much of their development is put on hold because of the baby and the need to jump into the mother role when they are not prepared. Since all of their time is focused on the baby, they do not have time to socialize with other people. Therefore, they do not learn how to develop intimate relationships with their peers (Hoffman &ump; Maynard, 2008). In addition to the educational aspect of the group, it can also provide a social network for the girls. They are able to interact with others and learn how to develop intimate relationships. Since they are all struggling with the same issue, they will find it easier to relate to one another.
Social support will help eliminate some of the negative consequences of teen motherhood such as parenting stress (Bunting &ump; McAuley, 2004). In addition to family and partner support, peer support plays an significant role. For example, teens may not feel comfortable talking about certain things with their family members. Therefore, peers can provide mothers will the emotional support they need. Having a network of people they can relate to is positive. The greater number of friends the mother has increases her social competence. Social competence can have positive benefits for the parent-child relationship. The skills learned in the group to maintain friendships can help the way the mother interacts with her child (Bunting et al., 2004). The group can utilize relationship building activities to show the teenagers how to appropriately interact with others. This is a learning experience their child can also benefit from. If a mother chooses to bring her child to the group, the child can interact with other child. From an early age, they can begin developing social skills.
Education
Teenage pregnancy is the biggest factor in drop-out rates in high school (Strunk, 2004). Of the teens to become pregnant, only 32% will graduate from high school (Hoffman et al., 2008). It can be a struggle to stay in high school while trying to raise a baby, especially if the teen does not have access to child care. Child care comes with a big expense and it is easier for the teen to not go to school. However, dropping out of high school has negative consequences for the mother and the baby. The mother’s education level is the main predictor of the baby’s life outcome. If the mother does not receive a high school diploma, the chances of living in poverty are increased (Strunk, 2008). The group can educate mothers on alternative ways to obtain a high school diploma. There are many options the teens can use to obtain a high school diploma. One alternative is obtaining a G.E.D. There are also program that allow teens to finish high school in their home. The most important thing the group can do is encourage the mothers to finish high school and teach them the negative consequences of not finishing high school. Obtaining a well-paying job will be difficult without a high school diploma. The girls will also not be able to continue their education without a high school diploma. Living in poverty can lead to a lack of many necessities of life such as health care (Hoffman et al., 2008). Not having health care can put the baby at risk because they are not receiving routine check-ups. If they are not able to afford health care, there are many social services that can make health care accessible to them that they may not know about.
It is likely that teen mothers will become pregnant again within the first year of giving birth (Arai, 2009). Adding another child will only increase the amount of stress the teen is experiencing. Teens need to be educated on the methods available in order to prevent having more children (CITE). Many teenagers do not use any type of contraceptive during their first sexual experience (Hoffman et al., 2008). Teenagers who already have a child are less likely than their counterparts to use contraception (Arai, 2009). The group can offer the girls education about contraceptives and the correct way to use them. Many sexual education courses in the United States promote abstinence. While that would be the desirable result for all teens, it is not always the case. There are many forms of contraceptives that can be readily available to the girls if they continue to be sexually active. It is important to educate them on this topic so they can avoid having another child. Addressing the issue of contraception can be difficult for parents and awkward for children. The group offers a neutral environment in which they girls can ask any question they want and offer them information about different types of contraceptives.
It is also crucial to explore and dispute the motivation behind becoming pregnant. Lisa Arai (2009) explains three key factors to consider when addressing teen pregnancy. The first is low expectations. This is common among the girls who come from lower socioeconomic status. They may not have high expectations for themselves, therefore, it can lead to teen pregnancy. The next factor is ignorance. Teenagers have a tendency to believe they are invincible. They do not realize how easy it is to become pregnant and therefore may not use contraception. The third factor is the mixed messages the teens see about teen pregnancy. The media has a tendency to glorify teen pregnancy. The group can teach the girls to have self-esteem and avoid these three key factors. Group leaders need to help the girls break the cycle of having children.
Benefits
When helping teenage mothers overcome their struggles, they need to be taught certain skills in order to survive. The psychoeducational group will provide them with the resources they need. Teenagers will benefit from a group setting over an individual setting. For one, they will be able to engage with other girls who are going through the same thing and they can see that they are not alone. In the individual setting, teenagers may feel singled out or attacked. It can be hard for them to relate to someone who is not in the same situation as them. Also, since teen mothers do not have the time to socialize and develop social skills, the group setting offers them a chance to develop the social skills needed. They will have an interactive experience for the purpose of learning new skills. While interacting with other people, they will be exposed to new ideas and viewpoints about their situation. Learning how to socialize with others will improve their relationships at home. It can also improve their self-esteem. While learning from the other girls, they can also teach them the strategies they have used (DeLucia, 2006).
The focus of psychoeducational groups is preventing behaviors and teaching new skills. Therefore, it is not therapy based. This can be beneficial when working with teenagers because therapy can be viewed as a negative thing. For some cultures, seeking therapy may even be out of the question. If the group is based on developing skills, it takes away from the therapy aspect. Since many of the teen mothers are not ready for motherhood, the group can provide them with the necessary parenting skills they will need to know. By teaching them parenting skills, the girls can be more confident in their parenting abilities. Along with parenting abilities, the girls can be taught coping strategies that they can use when they are in stressful situations. When they know how to appropriately handle a situation, they are less likely to take it out on their children. Also, keeping their stress at a low level will have positive benefits for the parent-child relationship.
The benefits of a psychoeducational group for teen pregnancy are evident. At this age, teens are experiencing many developmental changes and raising a child at the same time can be overwhelming. Since teen pregnancy is becoming more common, it is inevitable that counselors working with adolescences or families will encounter this topic. Even though odds are against teen mothers, it is important for counselors to know that the girls do have potential. Once they are taught the right skills needed, they will feel more confident about being a parent.