Unmarried adolescent motherhood in St. John's,Newfoundland - an assessment profile

Abstract

The number of adolescent mothers who keep their babies and remain single has increased dramatically in recent years. Research indicates that these young females may encounter significant difficulties with education, employment, finances, housing, physical well-being, emotional well-being, and child care arrangements, depending on the community in which they live and on the level of support they receive. This exploratory/descriptive survey describes and examines the life situation, personal problems, and personal characteristics of unmarried mothers in St. John’s who were between the ages of 16 and 19 years old at the birth of their first child. -- Interviews were completed with 40 young women who fit the above criteria and who were identified from the Social Work records of a hospital with a large obstetrical ward. A survey utilizing a structured interview was conducted in a face-to-face format in the mother’s place of residence. -- Results indicate that problems do exist for many of these mothers, both in terms of practical problems: finances baby-sitting, and education, and emotional problems: arguments and conflict, relationships, loneliness, affect, and self-concept. The adolescent mother is often uneducated, dependent on social assistance, lonely, possesses a flat or negative affect, and has a marginal self-concept. Assistance is needed in the areas of education, employment, child care, and emotional support.