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Building a “Better Lifeâ€

Author

Listed:
  • Colleen O’Brien Cherry
  • Neale Chumbler
  • Jennifer Bute
  • Amber Huff

Abstract

Adolescent pregnancy is often described as a major concern in public health and is associated with negative outcomes for educational and career attainment. Our objective was to compare the future aspirations of pregnant and parenting adolescents and identify social or structural barriers that they experience in their daily lives using journal entries from pregnant and parenting adolescents. The journals, which served as primary data sources, were completed by 52 multi-ethnic pregnant and parenting adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Indiana. Both pregnant and parenting adolescents aspired to provide a “better life†for their children that included finishing school and obtaining a career. An emergent theme is that the experience of pregnancy and parenting is transformative and may invoke a positive refocusing of life aspirations for educational and career attainment. However, social stigma and barriers exist that make achieving educational and employment opportunities difficult. The study findings indicate that pregnant and parenting adolescents need strong social support networks and practical tools to help harness their motivation and transcend social and material barriers to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Suggested Citation

  • Colleen O’Brien Cherry & Neale Chumbler & Jennifer Bute & Amber Huff, 2015. "Building a “Better Lifeâ€," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(1), pages 21582440155, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:5:y:2015:i:1:p:2158244015571638
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244015571638
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kendall, Carl & Afable-Munsuz, Aimee & Speizer, Ilene & Avery, Alexis & Schmidt, Norine & Santelli, John, 2005. "Understanding pregnancy in a population of inner-city women in New Orleans--results of qualitative research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 297-311, January.
    2. Bute, Jennifer J. & Comer, Karen & Lauten, Kathryn M. & Sanematsu, Helen Y. & Moore, Courtney M. & Lynch, Dustin & Chumbler, Neale R., 2014. "Implementation of a journal prototype for pregnant and parenting adolescents," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 122-130.
    3. Geronimus, Arline T., 2003. "Damned if you do: culture, identity, privilege, and teenage childbearing in the United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(5), pages 881-893, September.
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