Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 278-289).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Notre Dame, 2005. / Thesis directed by John G. Borkowski for the Department of Psychology. "July 2005." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-44).

The objective of this study was to inquire into the educational experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescents enrolled in a pregnant minor program and represent their voices by documenting this inquiry. This is a qualitative study that utilized phenomenological perspective and included a series of three in-depth interviews with six pregnant and parenting students. The focus and aim of the study was to represent the participant's voices on their educational experiences. The participants were pregnant teenagers attending a program in Southern California in the United States of America.

Research has reported that a predictive link exists between socio-economic risk factors and high school dropouts, including teen-aged parents. Educators have little control over socio-economic risk factors. However, school records and classroom performance data can point to in-school risk factors. The purpose of this study was to help all students by using the in-school data to pinpoint the indicators that predict potential student achievement difficulties in specific areas of curricula. This study was an anteriospective longitudinal study of the 1995 graduating class of a suburban school district composed of approximately 920 seniors. The sample consisted of 344 graduates, 114 dropouts, and 42 teenaged parents. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was the statistical method used for model building. An analysis was done by gender at the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grades from the permanent records of sample students. The study found that significant predictors exist at each grade level and are different for each group, grade level, and gender with some predictors in common: language arts and attendance. The most consistent male dropout predictors were found to be absenteeism, grades in language arts, spelling, and achievement test scores in language arts. The most consistent female dropout predictors were found to be absenteeism, elementary retention, course failures, and achievement test scores in language arts. Achievement test scores in language arts were found to be the most important in-school predictors for teen-aged parents. The predictors for teenaged parents followed the same pattern as female dropouts and graduates until the 8th grade where achievement test scores in vocabulary, math, and total battery became important predictors. Teen-aged parents were found to be a sub-population of dropouts or graduates. Teen-aged parents dropped out or graduated from school based on the early predictors of dropouts or graduates, not based on parenting or single status.

A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND In partial fulfilment for the degree MASTER OF ARTS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY in the Department of Psychology, 1988. / The researcher's aim in this study was to identify and compare the attitudes of adolescents, parents and grandparents towards three adolescent problem variables. The researcher's point of departure was to review relevant literature on the generation gap phenomenon, adolescent premarital sexual relations, delinquent behaviour and the use of alcoholic beverages. A. Likert-type scale was constructed to measure the attitudes of adolescents, parents and grandparents towards adolescent premarital sexual relations) delinquent behaviour and use of alcoholic beverages. Three samples comprising 30 adolescents, 30 parents and 30 grandparents were randomly selected from the seven wards/ sections of the 42 Hill Location, Harrismith. Respondents were from the Zulu, South-Sotho, Tswana .and Xhosa ethnic groups. Illiterate and educated subjects were included in the study. The t-test and Chi-Square (ifi test results highlighted significant differences between the attitudes of adolescents and parents towards premarital sexual relations. The differences between the attitudes of adolescents and those of grandparents towards this variable were also significant:. The attitudes of parents and grandparents towards premarital sexual relations were not significantly different. These findings tended to support previous research studies which stated that parents and grandparents were traditionally more conservative in their attitude towards sexuality than were adolescents. Modern adolescents who lived in a society where sex was discussed more openly seemed to feel that they should engage in premarital sexual relations. It seemed the generation gap between adolescents and parents,and to a greater extent between adolescent and grandparent, had increased. Results indicated insignificant differences between the attitudes of adolescents, parents and grandparents towards adolescent delinquent behaviour. All three generations seemed to agree that modern adolescents acquired much information from their friends. In a modern rapidly changing South African society, traditional authority seemed to have lost most of its impact on the adolescent's bahaviour. Adolescents seemed to believe that parents had failed to change the socio¬political situation hence they had to take the lead. Parents themselves seemed to be puzzled and confused by the rapidly changing, contemporary, technocratic and violently divided society. Significant differences between the adolescent and parent attitudes and between adolescent and grandparent attitudes towards adolescent use of alcoholic beverages were indicated in this study. The insignificant differences between the attitudes of parents and grandparents towards this variable seemed to indicate that parents and grandparents were against adolescent use of alcoholic beverages. On the other hand, adolescents seemed to feel that they should indulge in drinking alcoholic beverages. In the modern South African society, adolescents saw liquor advertised on television and in literature and thus indulged in drinking alcoholic beverages. It was recommended that whatever the desired politico-social change, both parents and adolescents could be made aware that communication and dialogue between them are a sine-qua-non towards the solution and alleviation of their problems. Parents may be motivated to discuss with adolescents their views and feelings about premarital sexual relations and vice versa. The dialogue could be encouraged in public meetings, seminars, on television and radio. Parents could be encouraged to listen to the views of adolescents in order to guide them. Parents may be made to accept the fact that adolescents live during a time and in a society where they may express both their positive and negative opinions regarding certain issues. Community programmes such as therapeutic groups, youth clubs and recreation clubs could provide adolescents with an opportunity of expressing their views, developing their social skills and improving relationships with others. Information concerning problems that are associated with the use of alcoholic beverages could be made available to adolescents during the discussions and advertisements. The aim could be to assist adolescents to cope with problems and to feel happy without indulging in drinking alcoholic beverages.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in birth weight of infants, tobacco use during pregnancy, and Apgar scores of infants between pregnant adolescents who successfully complete a healthy pregnancy curriculum and those who do not and to further examine the adolescent mothers' perceptions of the major concepts included in a healthy pregnancy curriculum. The study involved the collection and analysis of retrospective data to determine differences in birth weight of infants, tobacco use during pregnancy, and Apgar scores of infants. Additionally, a questionnaire, focus group discussions, and follow-up interviews were conducted with former students of the healthy pregnancy curriculum to examine the adolescent mothers' perceptions of the major concepts in the healthy pregnancy curriculum. The participants answered questions regarding how important they thought each major concept is for inclusion in the healthy pregnancy curriculum, how much they learned about each major concept, and how helpful that information was in their own experiences. Analyses of the data did not show statistical differences between adolescents who successfully completed a healthy pregnancy curriculum and those who did not complete a healthy pregnancy curriculum regarding differences in birth weight of infants, tobacco use during pregnancy, and Apgar scores of infants. These findings of non-significance may be due to the small number of participants (n=50), non-participants (n=149), and the limited duration of the study data (1999 to 2003). A larger population over a longer period of time might yield different results. The findings from the qualitative data provided by the seven former students suggest that pregnant adolescents who successfully complete the class perceive the components of the healthy pregnancy curriculum as valuable and important. Topics that were indicated as particularly important were The Birth Process, Nutrition, Decision Making, and Family Planning. Participants further indicated changes in their attitudes for all ten topics and changes in behaviors in the areas of Human Reproduction, Nutrition, Health-Care Practices, Environmental Effects on the Unborn Baby, and Decision Making.

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure attitudes toward teenage parents. The instrument, called the Attitude Toward Teen Parent Scale (ATTPS), was based on Robinson's (1988a) suggested myths about teenage fathers. The ATTPS consisted of 20, Likerttype items and was administered to 133 volunteer undergraduate students attending Ball State University. A series of exploratory principal component factor analyses were conducted to identify independent factors represented by the ATTPS. A four-factor solution, accounting for 54% of the variance on the ATTPS was retained . The internal consistency reliability for the ATTPS was .67. Two factors were interpreted as "psychological deviance" (alpha = .77) and "supportive involvement" (alpha = .66). The other two factors were not interpretable. These findings suggested that the ATTPS measured two independent constructs. It was suggested that future research should further test the validity and reliability of the ATTPS by focusing on the two interpretable factors identified in this study, and by increasing the items on the scale as well as the number of subjects tested. Further studies should also examine attitudes among different populations (e.g., varying by race, sex, age, profession) toward teenage parents. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The study aimed to explore and describe the experiences, perceptions and needs of unmarried adolescent fathers and to assess the attitudes and attentiveness of selected social workers and organisations that provide services to adolescent parents. In view of the position in which teenage fathers find themselves and with regard to stereotyping and the disregard for their role as fathers, no concerted attempt is made by organisations to provide services to them. They are marginalized and despite changes in legislation and a Bill of Human Rights their needs are not attended to. A mixed research methodology was employed in conducting this exploratorydescriptive study. The study was advertised in the waiting rooms of relevant organisations, in consultation with pregnancy help centres, social work agencies and youth services. Those who responded were interviewed according to inclusion criteria for the study and those who did not qualify were referred to appropriate services. Confidentiality was assured and consent to participate in the study was discussed. A non-random sample of 32 participants was identified, ranging from 13 to 19 years were located of who 15 agreed to participate. Further attrition resulted in the sample being reduced to 12. Interview schedules were used to facilitate the discussion and to ensure that all participants were asked the same questions. The second part of the study explored the attitude and attentiveness of services to adolescent parents. All organisations providing such services were invited and seven eventually agreed to participate. Of these, four indicated that they were participating in their personal capacity. Interviews were guided by an interview schedule which aimed to explored attitude, attentiveness and capacity to provide services to unmarried teenage fathers. The findings of the study revealed that teenage fathers want to be involved with their children, but social stereotyping, unrealistic expectations of partners and family, and social discrimination militate against them. However, the support of family and the natal partner and her family, are factors that determine continued involvement. Services were perceived and experienced as negative and dismissive of their role as fathers.