A comparison of the psychological resources of adolescents at low and high risk of mistreating their children

Abstract

<h2>Abstract</h2> <b>Objective:</b> Our objective was to compare the psychological resources of pregnant teenagers who are at low and high risk for mistreating their children. <b>Method:</b> We studied 71 participants in a comprehensive, adolescent-oriented maternity program. During the prenatal period, the Family Stress Checklist was used to quantify child abuse potential, with scores ≥25 defining high risk. Information about the social context of the pregnancy and maternal psychological resources was obtained with self-administered questionnaires. A composite psychological resource variable was computed by summing the <i>z</i> scores for intelligence, mental health, and mastery, with scores ≤0 defining the low-resource group. <b>Results:</b> Of the 71 teenagers, 26 (36.6%) were classified as high risk for child abuse and neglect. Compared with low-risk teens, high-risk teens had more behavioral problems, lower psychological resource scores (mean ± SD of <i>z</i> score: −0.98 ± 2.02 compared with 0.39 ± 1.79; <i>P</i> =.004), and were more likely to have low psychological resources (69.2% compared with 44.4%; <i>P</i> =.04). <b>Conclusions:</b> Pregnant teenagers who are at risk for child abuse and neglect exhibit fewer psychological resources than their low-risk peers do, and may therefore benefit preferentially from intensive, in-home intervention. J Pediatr Health Care. (2001). <i>15,</i> 299-303.