Psychological Implications of Adolescent Pregnancy: Patterns of Family Interaction in Adolescent Mothers-To-Be

Abstract

Psychiatric evaluation of 12 pregnant adolescent girls (aged 15-17) was made after a limited number of weekly sessions with a psychiatrist or psychologist and a social worker. Evaluation focused on: 1) clinical diagnosis; 2) interpersonal relationships with parents siblings family peer group and boyfriend; 3) psychological circumstances leading to pregnancy; 4) reactions toward pregnancy; and 5) sex education level prior to pregnancy. Clinical diagnosis in most cases was transient situational disturbances or adjustment reactions of adolescence associated with the pregnancy. The family relationships were disturbed with 75% coming from broken homes. The girls generally expressed ambivalence toward their mothers; the father was seen as a negative and threatening figure. There was a lack of positive relationships with other male figures but positive relationships with older sisters. In 8 cases environmental circumstances made the girls decide to drop out of school. Sexual relations were described as efforts to be accepted by someone. The reaction toward pregnancy was denial perceiving the symptoms to be similar to childhood abdominal illnesses. All the girls had received sex education in school but had not been able to integrate the information because of the disturbed mother-daughter relationship. The major psychiatric finding was a retarded emotional growth and interaction pattern apparently caused by a lack of learning experiences during childhood which interfered with the development of a proper ego structure.