This study compared cognitive readiness for parenting in 171 pregnant adolescents, 48 nonpregnant adolescents, and 38 pregnant adults. The relations between cognitive readiness and parenting stress and behavior were also assessed. Results indicated that adolescents were less cognitiveiy prepared, experienced more stress in the parenting role, and were less adaptive in their parenting style than adult mothers. Finally, relations between cognitive readiness and parenting stress and maternal interactional style were found. Additional analyses controlling for multiple demographic factors suggested that demographic variables played a role in explaining age-related differences in cognitive readiness as well as the-relations between readiness to parent and parenting behavior. Cognitive readiness, however, had unique and differential explanatory power in predicting parenting stress.

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