Differences between adolescent and adult mothers of infants

Abstract

Samples of adolescent and adult mothers of 6-month-old infants were compared on parenting knowledge, quality of stimulation in the home, and family involvement with the infant. Adolescents perceived that care-giving had less influence on infant outcome and they provided a lower quality of stimulation in the home environment than did adults. For both groups, greater knowledge was associated with higher quality of stimulation in the home. Adolescents were more likely to live with their own mother/grandmother, less likely to live with the infant's father, and more likely to live in larger households. The adolescent's infant was more likely to have daily involvement with the maternal grandmother. Approximately 50% of the fathers in both groups were involved on a daily basis. The fathers were involved to a greater extent if the mother of the infant was an adult. Services to adolescents with infants should include an assessment of family participation in infant care and provide support to the mother.