Magister Social Work -MSW / Teenage parenting is recognised as one of the greatest health and social problems in South Africa. Research in South Africa has shown that by the age of 18 years, more than 30% of teens have given birth at least once. Teen mothers may feel disempowered because they are ‘othered’ and consequently, may develop forms of resistance which in most cases may inhibit their ability to parent. Social support is therefore, an imperative intervention for successful teen parenting. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological systems theory proposes that social support could be considered to reside within the microsystem of the model if the developing person is the teen mother. The aim of this study was to compare social support of different family forms and establish whether a relationship between single teen mothers’ parental efficacy and social support exists across the different family forms. This study used a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional comparative correlation design. The sample consisted of N = 160 single teen mothers who reside with her family for a period of one year or is currently residing with her family or members thereof, in low socio-economic communities. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire that comprised of the Social Provisions Scale (SPS), and the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC) scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used to investigate the data. Outcomes of the study indicated that a significant positive relationship between social support and parental efficacy existed. These findings are important for planning and applying parenting programmes amongst single teen mothers and facilitating awareness regarding the importance of social support and family forms when considering parenting practices.

No description available.

abstract: The central focus of this dissertation was to build on prior research that has underscored the significance of investigating culturally informed values and beliefs to promote racial-ethnic minority youths’ adjustment. In particular, Study 1 examined how Mexican-origin adolescents’ endorsements of familism values contributed to and moderated established theoretical associations within the achievement motivation process (i.e., contextual environment/individual factors, motivational beliefs, achievement-related strategies) and ultimately informed educational adjustment over time, or 5 years postpartum. Findings from Study 1 supported hypotheses regarding the dual role of familism values as both a promotive and protective factor throughout the achievement motivation process. Importantly findings highlight familism as an important cultural asset to consider as a potential facilitator of Mexican-origin adolescent mothers’ postpartum educational attainment. In addition to examining the promotive and protective function of familism, Study 2 explored how constellations of culturally informed promotive and protective factors, based on familism values, familial ethnic socialization, mothers’ and adolescents’ education aspirations, and social support (from family, peers, and dating partners), directly informed Mexican-origin adolescent mothers’ educational adjustment postpartum. Three distinct profiles emerged across social, aspirational, and familial domains, when adolescents were in their third trimester of pregnancy. Profiles were distinguished by unique patterns among study variables as a function of different levels of assets and resources. Furthermore, coresidency and economic hardship emerged as significant predictors of membership into latent profiles; and membership in specific profile groups significantly predicted educational attainment five years postpartum. Patterns of promotive/protective factors identified in the current study illustrate the importance of considering how the combination of multiple factors, across culturally salient domains, work in tandem to inform Mexican-origin adolescent mothers’ long-term educational attainment. Overall study findings offer a comprehensive insight into how familism values and other culturally informed factors contribute to the achievement motivation process and educational adjustment of pregnant and parenting Mexican-origin adolescent. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Family and Human Development 2016

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of emotional intelligence in predicting parenting self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, academic achievement, and school attendance among a sample of adolescent mothers. A battery of instruments was administered to a sample of 108 high school students who were enrolled in the Employment Leading to Education and Career Training (ELECT) Program. The students ranged from 16- to 21-years of age and were enrolled between the 10th and 12th grade. Emotional intelligence was assessed with the Bar-On Emotional Quotient: Short Version (EQ-i:S), and self-efficacy variables were measured with the Self-Efficacy for Learning Form-Abridged (SELF-A) and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC). Moderate and significant correlations were found between emotional intelligence and both parenting and academic self-efficacy measures. Despite a positive relationship with academic self-efficacy, emotional intelligence was not found to correlate with student achievement or school attendance, with the exception of Social Studies achievement. The investigation of length of time parenting revealed no relations with parenting self-efficacy beliefs or school outcome variables such as grade point averages or attendance. Results also indicated that the level of involvement from the child's father did not correlate with this sample of adolescent mothers' perception of parenting satisfaction. However, parenting satisfaction and school achievement were negatively correlated with their satisfaction with available social support networks. / School Psychology

Through this study, I aim to increase understanding of how young moms experience, perceive, make meaning, and conceptualize positive support within the context of service provision (education, residential services, legal services, healthcare etc.). More broadly, I aim to illuminate ways that societal notions of vulnerability and autonomy may be shifted to offer improved quality of support to young mothers and other marginalized communities. Such a shift would counter paternalistic attitudes that have historically influenced how “support” has been imposed on young mothers. Although a full transformation would take time, we may begin to undertake the necessary work of reimagining support, gradually shifting towards the goal of building capabilities toward relational autonomy. 25 moms from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in Ontario, Canada, between the ages of 16-25 years, participated in creating visual art images and/or verbally sharing what support meant to them. I engaged in a relational approach to interaction and dialogue, centering a praxis of reflexivity and ethical treatment of everyone involved in the interview process. Guided by a critical feminist framework that included intersectionality, maternal theory, and vulnerability theory, I engaged in a feminist phenomenological approach to the analysis of transcripts and co-constructed visual analysis of imagery with the moms. Study findings reveal how service provision contexts are shaped by traditional ways of understanding vulnerability and autonomy as a binary and in opposition to one another, with an overvaluation of invulnerability. Yet young moms describe that they understand positive support as a combination of both responses to the effects of exposure to sources of vulnerability and as efforts to build autonomy in relationships with service providers, infrastructure, and broader communities of care. In addition, young moms describe positive qualities of service design and delivery, such as being non-judgemental, reliable, and sensitive, with attuned and caring interactions. The combination of these qualities can facilitate a process of internalization of positive attitudes, culminating in the development of an identity as a confident caregiver. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Through this critical feminist arts-based study, I aim to increase understanding of how young moms make meaning of the concept of positive support within the context of service provision. 25 moms in Ontario, Canada, between the ages of 16-25 years, participated in creating visual art images and/or verbally sharing what support meant to them. I engaged in a relational approach to interviewing, and a feminist phenomenological approach to the analysis of transcripts and visual analysis of imagery. Study findings reveal how service provision contexts are shaped by traditional ways of understanding the concepts of vulnerability and autonomy as a binary and in opposition to one another. Yet young moms asserted that effective forms of positive support must be designed and delivered as a combination of both a response to the effects of exposure to sources of vulnerability and as efforts made to build autonomy in-connection to others and the world(s) around us.

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of the life skills training programme in instilling resilience to HIV infection among teen mothers. The study targeted teenage mothers who took part in a life skills training programme in a rural area of Lesotho between 2009 and 2014. The objectives of the study were to; understand what teen mothers have learnt by participating in the project; understand how useful the knowledge was in helping them to cope with HIV and AIDS; understand whether the teen mothers are still using the skills they have been taught to cope with HIV and AIDS, and to understand how the participation in the project benefited them. The research design of the study was quantitative research. A census survey was used to collect data among research participants. The study employed the Health Belief Model, self-efficacy, and resilience theories to explore levels of resilience among teen mothers. The findings show that the teen mothers’ resilience to HIV and AIDS was enhanced by the life skills training. It also shows that the information raised teen mothers’ levels of awareness of health risks and mitigating actions (life skills). This in turn improved their confidence and competency to implement positive behaviour change. It has also emerged from the study that there is continued use of the acquired knowledge and skills by the teen mothers after the project. The findings also provide evidence of the value of conducting follow up studies on intervention programmes. The study recommends life skills programme be an inseparable part of HIV and AIDS awareness, especially among teenagers. Such intervention should ideally form part of the school curriculum. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Behavior Studies in HIV and AIDS)