Psychology assignment

TEEN PREGNANCY IN UNITED STATES

Kokela Funderburk

PSY: 605

Instructor Felch

November 9, 2015

Teen Pregnancy

Introduction

Teenage mothers comprise a group of mothers aged between 15-19 years. In the United States, stats states that live birth rate for teenage moms is 27% per 1000 women in this age group. Birth rate has been falling for women aged 15-17 years and 8% all women aged 18-19 (Child Trends, 2014). In the United States, teen pregnancy is still higher than many other countries like Canada and Latin America (Clay, et al, 2012).

The following are facts about the teen pregnancy in United States.

1. 4 in 10 teens get pregnant at least once before the age of 20, this is a big number when considering annual statistics.

2. Parenthood is a leading reason as to why teen girls drop out of school. The fact shows that more than 50% of teen mothers never completing school.

3. An also disturbing trend is that almost a half of the teen mothers get their second child within the first 24 months.

4. Lastly United States has the highest pregnancy rates in the industrialized world. The study though shows trends in decline for the rate of births in the country.

5. Less than 10% dads marry the mother of their child.

6. 80% of teens who do not use protective methods have higher chances of becoming pregnant

7. More than 50% of mothers had their first child during the teenage years.

8. In unites States, teens had fewer babies than any other year in history

Brief overview

Teen birth rates have declined in the recent years. Despite these declines, there exist still a lot of disparities that needs to be addressed (Dessen, 2005). . This is because of the social and economic costs associated with teen moms. According to the statistics, the Hispanic teen births were still higher than the other races in United States such as white teens, Indian American. These statistics show that native birth rates still twice higher than the white teens. ,

Target population.

The target population for this project is the Native American teens who still have considerably higher birth rates than other Americans (Kearney & Levine, 2012).

Main Focus area

With teen pregnancy being one of the key areas to be addressed this year, the goal of this project is to give quality health and life to the teens. The focus for this proposal is to provide the following protective factors to the teens on the basis of knowledge, beliefs, skills and attitude related to the teen pregnancy (Yuen & Lam 2014).

1. The knowledge of the HIV and other STD’ including pregnancy protection

2. Different perception of HIV and AIDS

3. Improving personal values and attitude towards sex and abstinence.

4. Attitudes towards condom, and contraceptives.

5. Different perception on peer influence on sex and adolescence.

6. Ability to refuse having sex without condoms

7. Their notion on limiting the number of sexual partners.

8. Difficulty on parents communicating to their children on sex and parenting at young age.

9. Improve individual ability to resist the risks associated with contracting HIV and AIDS.

10. Intent on the use of condom and other preventive methods.

In addition to these programs teens need other programs to access the youth friendly clinical services.

Figure 1 Teen Pregnancy Graph (guttmatcher.org, 2015)

Adults should play a big role in helping to shape teen attitude towards relationships, sex, and birth control. In addition, parent will be involved in the emotional and financial support given to the teen in order to shape their way of perceiving relationships as a source of income and support.

Project location

This program will be located in Alaska and Latin American states

Conclusion

Preventing teen pregnancy is a community concern that must be systematically be eradicated. Community leaders must now be involved in the design of the reduction procedure. This process need to be inclusive of almost all members of the community and other ideologies and possible collaborations to change the adolescent sexual health risk so as the youth to understand the need for community attention in teen pregnancy.

Akella, D., & Jordan, M. (2015). Impact of Social and Cultural Factors on Teen Pregnancy. Journal Of Health Disparities Research & Practice, 8(1), 41-61.

This article will give you insights on the impact the social and cultural factors that teen pregnancy has. Teen pregnancy has declined, but it is still high comparing to other countries. African Americans and Hispanics contribute to more teenage pregnancies than any other race. As a result, this affects the well-being of each household with having poverty, lack of education, and quality healthcare. Bandura’s social theory refers to individuals who are in contact with will become more than likely in the same space and imitate the behaviors.

CLAY, J. A., SAGRESTANO, L. M., & FINERMAN, R. (2012). BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS TO STRATEGICALLY IMPACT COMMUNITY INITIATIVES TO REDUCE TEEN PREGNANCY. Journal Of Health & Human Services Administration, 35(3), 274-302.

This article discusses the ways the community can build relationships on preventing and educating teens on pregnancy and developing a way for them to understand and eliminate it. It also wants collaboration from other resources, so they can collaborate on prevention, parenting, and support. In detail, it gives different cultural background statistics to show what is arising and how it affects each diversity culture.

Kearney, M., & Levine, P. (2012). Why is the Teen Birth Rate in the United States so High and Why Does it Matter /10.33? Journal Of Economic Perspectives, 26(2), 141-166. doi:10.1257/jep.26.2.141

This article discusses the impact of teen pregnancy and the overall high it has in this country than any other. This article seems to think that many teenage girls are having babies is because of the low economic trajectory. This article shows in detail population, growth, age, race, region, area, and city that has more or less children at a teen age. In this article, it also suggests that teens, who have children will likely, drop out of school, be unmarried and live in poverty. If we support more ways to show teens they will have a better outcome in life then they may put off having children. I think ways of doing this is having college become easier and less expensive, educating the children to understand they will have more in life.

Yuen, L. A., & Lam, P. (2014). Pregnancy resolutions among pregnant teens: termination, parenting or adoption?. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth,14(1), 363-378. doi:10.1186/s12884-014-0421-z

This article discusses the values and beliefs of why teenagers feel guilty or have reserved feelings on being pregnant, adoption, and abortion. Many teenagers feel if there are negative reactions then they should immediately abort. Some teenagers feel they are in these positions to take responsibility for their mistakes. This article talks with different people to analyze and study their reactions and decisions. Each individual had a different story to tell, a different life, a different outcome, but they all face the fact of being pregnant and experiencing it.

References

Akella, D., & Jordan, M. (2015). Impact of Social and Cultural Factors on Teen Pregnancy. Journal Of Health Disparities Research & Practice, 8(1), 41-61.

Child Trends,. (2014). Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved 10 November 2015, from http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=teen-pregnancy

Clay, J., Sagrestano, L., & Finerman, R. (2012). Building Relationships to Strategically Impact Community Initiatives to Reduce Teen Pregnancy. Journal Of Health And Human Services Administration, 35(3), 274-302.

Dessen, S. (2005). Someone like you. London: Hodder Children's.

Guttmacher.org,. (2015). U.S. Teen Pregnancy, Birth and Abortion Rates Reach Historic Lows. Retrieved 10 November 2015, from http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2014/05/05/

Kearney, M., & Levine, P. (2012). Why is the Teen Birth Rate in the United States so High and Why Does it Matter /10.33? Journal Of Economic Perspectives, 26(2), 141-166. doi:10.1257/jep.26.2.141

Yuen, L. A., & Lam, P. (2014). Pregnancy resolutions among pregnant teens: termination, parenting or adoption?. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth,14(1), 363-378. doi:10.1186/s12884-014-0421-z