Toward an Integrative Model of Adolescent Parenting

Abstract

Although considerable research has focused on the personal and social characteristics of adolescent mothers, the literature in this area lacks theoretical integration. To organize existing research and to direct future work, a model outlining the correlates and consequences of adolescent parenting is presented. It offers a specification of Belsky’s [1984] model of parenting, adapting it to the unique circumstances of the adolescent social environment. The model includes four personal characteristics of the adolescent mother – learning ability, cognitive readiness for parenting, psychosocial adjustment, and maternal health. These are proposed to interact with the characteristics of the infant and the social context in which the mother-child relationship is embedded to influence parenting and subsequent child development. Research bearing on this model of adolescent parenting is critically reviewed.

Caregiving by low-income adolescent mothers and the language abilities of their 30-month-old children

“…However, caregiving occurs in a broader context, and factors that influence caregiving may indirectly influence children's development. The quality of care the teen provides for her children is likely to be influenced not only by characteristics of the teens and characteristics of their children, but also the context in which the relationship is evolving (Belsky, 1984;Schellenbach, Whitman, & Borkowski, 1992). Teens who are providing relatively low quality care in a stressful context may be able to provide more supportive care under more favorable circumstances.…”

Adolescent mothers: Support needs, resources, and support-education interventions

“…The social context of the mother-child relationship interacts with the personal characteristics of adolescent mothers to influence parenting and subsequent child development [10,11]. As a result, adolescent parents' effectiveness is challenged if their social support is limited.…”

Comportamento parental de mães adolescentes

“…Assim, estas mães tendem a encarar os filhos como um entrave para a sua vida, uma vez que se vêem impossibilitadas de viver a adolescência, perdendo liberdade. Schellenbach et al (1992) desenvolveram um modelo empírico segundo o qual a qualidade da maternidade adolescente é encarada como o produto de múltiplas forças que operam de modo particular entre a adolescente, o seu filho e o seu meio social, e como tal, a vulnerabilidade de um dos elementos pode ser atenuada pelas potencialidades de outros elementos, ocorrendo um efeito protector (Belsky, 1984, citado por Soares & Jongenelen, 1998.…”