Adolescents and adjustment to abortion: Are minors at greater risk?

Abstract

The authors tested the Supreme Court's assumption that minors are particularly susceptible to psychological distress following abortion. The responses of 38 minors (age < 18 years) were compared with those of 402 adults, 1 month and 2 years after an elective, 1st-trimester abortion. Minors were relatively less satisfied with their abortion decision and felt less benefit from the abortion than did adults 1 month postabortion, but they did not differ from adults in adjustment 2 years postabortion. Minors were not more depressed than adults at either time period, and their decision satisfaction and perceived benefit at both time periods did not suggest a population at risk. Age group differences in adjustment 1 month postabortion were explained by minors' reduced self-efficacy appraisals for coping, greater use of avoidant coping strategies, and greater perceived parental conflict. These findings challenge the Court's assumption that minors are particularly vulnerable to psychological harm following abortion.

Abortion and Mental Health: Evaluating the Evidence

“…The former may not generalize to older samples. Women who terminate a pregnancy at younger ages may be at somewhat higher risk for mental health problems than women who terminate a pregnancy at a later age , although as a group, minors (Ͻage 18) do not appear to be at greater risk than adult women (Quinton et al, 2001). Number of women in the abortion sample also varied considerably across studies, with sample sizes ranging from less than 50 in some cases (e.g., Fergusson et al, 2006) to more than 6,400 women in others (Gilchrist et al, 1995).…”

“…Using data from Sample 1 of Major et al (2000), Quinton, Major, and Richards (2001) found no differences between minors (N ϭ 38) and adults (N ϭ 404) in psychological distress and well-being two years after an abortion, although the adolescents were slightly less satisfied with their decision and perceived less personal benefit from it. In a different sample of 96 women (23 minors), Pope, Adler, and Tschann (2001) reported that at four weeks postabortion, there were no differences in depression, anxiety, self-esteem, or posttraumatic stress between the younger and older groups, although the minors scored slightly lower on "comfort with decision."…”

“…Seven papers were based on data from a multisite sample of firsttrimester abortion patients in the Buffalo, New York, area. Four of the papers based on this sample (Sample 1) analyzed data of 442 women followed for two years after a first-trimester abortion for an unintended pregnancy at one of three sites (Cozzarelli, Major, Karrasch, & Fuegen, 2000;Major et al, 2000;Major & Gramzow, 1999;Quinton, Major & Richards, 2001). Assessments took place at four time points: preabortion and one hour, one month, and two years postabortion.…”

Aborto y salud mental de la mujer

“…En relación con ello, se constata que hay un numeroso grupo de autores que afirman la existencia de tales alteraciones (1)(2)(3)(4)(5), mientras que otros opinan lo contrario (6)(7)(8)(9)(10). ¿Cuáles pueden ser las razones para que se den resultados tan dispares?…”

Variáveis sociodemográficas e socioculturais e ajustamento psicológico à decisão e experiência de interrupção voluntária da gravidez

“…No entanto, outros investigadores não têm observado associações significativas entre a idade e o ajustamento psicológico pós-IVG (Cohen & Roth, 1984;Moseley, Follingstad, Harley, & Heckel, 1981;Osofsky & Osofsky, 1972), considerando que as diferenças encontradas, nalguns estudos, em função da idade, tendem a reflectir a influência de variáveis mais complexas, tais como a saúde mental prévia, as expectativas de auto-eficácia, as estratégias de coping, o receio do procedimento de IVG, o conflito pessoal e/ou interpessoal em relação à IVG ou a coerção por parte de terceiros (Pope, Adler & Tschann, 2001;Quinton, Major & Richards, 2001).…”