NCJ Number
91280
Date Published
1983
Length
120 pages
Annotation
Programs aimed at helping pregnant adolescents should recognize the crucial role of the mother-daughter relationship in the teenager's decisionmaking, aim to bring fathers into the program, and help teenagers learn appropriate habits and behavior needed to handle situations on their own.
Abstract
Other needs are the use of a broad range of educational techniques in the teaching of birth control practices and the need to use program workshops to provide meaningful information in areas such as employability training. A participant-observation study of 18 low-income teenage mothers revealed that many had patterns of truancy and that all had been sexually active since early adolescence. The teenagers were all involved in Project Redirection, a national demonstration program which offers a comprehensive range of services and uses community women who act as older role models to guide the teenagers through an individualized plan of activities. The teenagers turned increasingly to their mothers for support during pregnancy and after delivery. Many continued sexual relationships during pregnancy and after delivery. Many found Project Redirection helpful, although they varied in their views about the relative value of specific parts of the program. Footnotes, 1 table, and 10 references are given. For a related study, see NCJ 91281.