Teenage pregnancy among African-Americans: a qualitative examination of maternal education, teenage pregnancy, family dynamics, and conflict resolution.
This qualitative study is derived from interviews conducted during a larger quantitative study that examined facilitators and barrier to communication and negotiations in African American families whose teen daughters had one or more unwed teen pregnancies. Based on the larger study's findings that the education of the teens mother was a statistically significant factor in teen pregnancy, 17 robust interviews were analyzed in this study and sorted on variables of maternal education and teen pregnancies. From the analysis of the data, seven themes emerged. Findings indicated that almost all girls reported a lack of contact with a father and girls of higher educated mothers tended to have more supportive family structures than did girls of lower educated mothers. Most of the families rejected the teen pregnancy, although later some accepted the infant. In comparison to mothers with a higher level of education, mothers with a lower level of education leaned toward more absolutist and negative solutions without full discussions about ideas of sex with their teens. Discussion indicated the need for interventions based on negotiation principles and tactics.