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

Abstract

Due to the proliferation of the COVID-19 virus, a health protocol encouraging social isolation was implemented. However, teens continued to violate this rule, resulting in premarital sex, and young women became pregnant due to unsafe sexual activity. The study aimed to explore the transitional lived experiences of teenage mothers from being students to teen moms in the context of the new normal educational setting. The study utilized a transcendental phenomenological research approach to investigate and analyze the individual activities and behaviors of young moms. For qualitative data collection and triangulation-based data analysis, the researcher employed the live interview and participants' observations that were then recorded via audio and video. The study consisted of five research participants selected using the method of purposive sampling with the inclusion criteria of one teenage mother who were presently enrolled in school and two teenage mothers who had a child or were pregnant during the study's conduct. Using thematic analysis and data triangulation, the study's findings revealed three major themes. Keywords: Coping mechanisms, resilience, teenage mothers, transitional living experiences;