| Description |
This study was undertaken to describe the adolescent mother's experiences during the puerperium. Specifically, its purposes were to explore her perceived stressors, the coping strategies she used to deal with these stressors and the unpleasant emotions they generated, and her perceived social supports. The data were gathered from a convenience sample of 34 adolescents from three hospitals in western New York. Most subjects were 17 or 18 years of age, black, single, living at home with their families, and from the lower socio-economic strata. Each adolescent was interviewed in the hospital, and then in her home at two and four weeks post hospital discharge. Findings indicated that most of the adolescents in this sample did not consider the first month home from the hospital to be a time of major stress approaching crisis proportions. Some factors which seemed to contribute to this included: coping with potential stressors prior to the actual birth; a heavy reliance upon help from family during the puerperium; and past experience with childcare. However, the following were of some concern to the adolescent during this time period: various aspects of babycare; the responsibilities and limitations brought about by motherhood; body image; interpersonal relationships including those with the adolescent's family, the father of the baby and his family, and peers; and concrete problems such as Finance;s, health, living arrangements, school, and managing a household. Problem-focused coping strategies seemed to be used more often in response to concrete problems, while emotion-focused strategies were used more often when dealing with interpersonal problems. A major method of coping with stressors involved turning to others, especially the family, for help. This was a predominant means of coping with the adolescent's concerns regarding the baby and babycare in particular. During this time period, the adolescent's mother was the most important provider of social reinforcement, and tangible and cognitive supports; the father of the baby was the most important source of emotional support; and peers were most important regarding socializing. The provision of social reinforcement seemed particularly important in enhancing the adolescent's sense of competence as a mother. The findings suggest that clinical interventions offered during the puerperium may not be well-received by the adolescent mother because she doen not perceive a major problem which can be mey by such survices. In addition, results suggest that clinicians involved the adolescent's own mother in both assessments and interventions since she is the adolescent's most important source of information and assestance during this time. |
