Explored differences between 35 women who had abortions as teenagers and 36 women who had abortions as adults. Respondents reported on their premorbid psychiatric histories, the decision-making process itself, and postabortion distress symptoms. Antisocial and paranoid personality disorders, drug abuse, and psychotic delusions were significantly…

Research determined females with unwanted sexual experiences were likely to be victims of violence, to have run away, to be substance abusers, and have family members with drug/alcohol problems. Four factors explained 39% of variance in age of first pregnancy: family member with drinking problem, age first hit by family member, age first got…

Findings from pregnant adolescents, nonpregnant adolescents, pregnant adults, adolescent mothers, and adult mothers found that pregnant adolescents were less socially competent and less proficient in problem solving than nonpregnant peers, that they exhibited more behavioral problems than pregnant adults, and that adolescent mothers displayed more…

Investigated relationships among family environment, demographic measures, decision made by unintentionally pregnant adolescents regarding postdelivery plans and certainty with which decisions made. Findings from 175 pregnant women aged 14 through 22 who intended to carry their pregnancies to term revealed that subjects choosing adoption were more…

A multivariate comparison of the childbearing and childrearing experiences of teenage and older mothers (N=67) was undertaken to investigate factors assumed to be responsible for developmental deficits experienced by children born to teenage mothers. The two groups were found to be quite similar on most of the variables studied. (Author)