Exploring The Challenges Facing Teenage Mothers in School and How They Cope in the Wa West District

Abstract

Education is a built-in mechanism that retains its essential value as a human right, not as a static commodity to be viewed in isolation from its larger context. Every person has the right to quality education and the ability to guarantee their human rights are secure for the long term. This research examined teenage mothers' struggles in school. The study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. Twelve teenage mothers were selected, using a snowball sampling approach. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from these teenage mothers by audio taping. The data was transcribed, pursued and analysed thematically. The research revealed that teenage mothers in school face various difficulties in school, including lack of financial support, poor time management, low self-esteem, and emotional instability. The further revealed that majority of teenage mothers in school employ direct problem solving, cognitive decision-making, understanding, and constructive cognitive restructuring to cope with the challenges they face.

Teenage mothers' transitional living experiences and coping mechanisms: A phenomenological study

“…The challenges associated with teenage motherhood were (1) pregnancy discomfort, (2) educational challenges, and (3) financial issues. This claim was supported by Adangabe et al (2021), who found that teenage mothers enrolled in a new normal setting of education with different learning modalities during the pandemic faced several challenges, including a lack of financial support, poor time management, low self-esteem, and emotional instability. Table 5 displays the coping mechanisms of teenage mothers for this transition.…”

Early Parenthood Experiences in Davao City, Philippines

“…These concerns are the problems that adolescent mothers encounter as they strive to reconnect their roles as students and mothers. With the struggling obligations of motherhood and society's negative judgment, these young mothers are usually traumatized by the people, which causes emotional wounds (Adangabe et al, 2021).…”

“…These young mothers had to face a hostile environment where they felt separated, humiliated, and stigmatized. Without emotional reinforcement, teenage mothers may encounter anxiety and rage, while others may encounter depression due to society's shame culture (Adangabe et al, 2021). Jones et al (2019) reported that young mothers frequently experienced discrimination from society through dislike, negative criticism, and deliberative encounters.…”

“…The social, cultural, and economic concerns commonly compel these young mothers to make strenuous decisions. It is challenging for young mothers to return to school after childbirth because they struggle to equitably handle studies and parenting duties (Adangabe et al, 2021). These challenges include difficulty studying, inability to sustain schooling, and consequent absenteeism.…”