TEEN PREGNANCY

Natali Diaz,

Kimberly Jean Leger

and Ailyn Rodriguez

RESEARCH QUESTION To what extent does the community of

Miami Dade find teen pregnancy acceptable?

SAMPLING Random sampling. Group members

traveled to three supermarkets in Miami Dade County as well as the Graham Center at Florida International University to collect data.

FIU 3

North Miami Beach

2

Flagler 8

Kendall 8

INSTRUMENTATION

3 forced choice questions 6 open-ended questions 6 demographic questions

INFORMED CONSENT

Dear Member of the Community: You are being asked to share your perceptions of teen pregnancy by students within the School of Social Work at Florida International University. These BSW students are enrolled within a class on social work practice with communities and organizations. They are interested in gathering information about how people perceive teen pregnancy. Your participation within this interview is voluntary, and confidential. You do not have to answer any question that may concern you. Your identity and contact information will not be divulged. Answers are looked at from a group perspective; not by an individual’s responses. By signing this form, you are granting your permission to be interviewed and to share your perceptions with these students. At any time during the interview you may choose to not answer an item or to withdraw from further questioning. If you have any questions about this research project or experience any discomfort, please feel free to contact me, as the students’ professor: Nan Van Den Bergh, PhD, LCSW Associate Professor, School of Social Work GL#479 305-348-5522 vandenan@fiu.edu I, _____________________________________hereby give my permission to be interviewed for purposes of sharing my perceptions of teen pregnancy with FIU social work students Signed:_____________________________________________________Date:________

CONTENT ANALYSIS

Have you or anyone you know experienced teen pregnancy?

Mode (most common answer): Yes

Categories Number Distribution

Yes 15 71%

No 6 29%

Total: 21 100%

CONTENT ANALYSIS What thoughts come to your mind when

you hear the term “teen pregnancy”?Category Number Distribution

(N=21)

Sadness 6 29%

Feeling of regret 3 14%

Immaturity 6 29%

Technical definition 2 10%

Troubled relationships

1 5%

TV Show 1 5%

Ruined future 3 14%

Struggle 4 19%

Blessing 1 5%

Shame 3 14%

Lack of education 2 10%

*For this question, some participants provided more than one answer.

Mode: Sadness and immaturity

CONTENT ANALYSIS What are the potential positive aspects of having a

child during the teen years?

For this question, some participants provided more than one answer.

Mode: No advantages

Category Number Distribution (N=21)

Becoming more mature

5 24%

Being a young parent 6 29%

Healthy baby 1 5%

Family support 1 5%

No advantages 10 48%

CONTENT ANALYSIS Please name a maximum of three

disadvantages, if any, associated with teen pregnancy.

Category Number Distribution (N=21)

Loss of youth 7 33%

Less time for career 2 10%

Stress 4 19%

Education is hindered 15 71%

Financial challenges 8 38%

Resentment 2 10%

Strained relationships 6 29%

Not ready for parenthood 3 14%

Less Opportunities 1 5%

Shame 1 5%

For this question, some participants provided more than one answer.

Mode: Education is hindered

CONTENT ANALYSIS

Do you believe that that if a teen is married it is more acceptable to have a child?

Mode: No (71%)

Category Number Distribution

Yes 3 14%

No 15 71%

Undecided 3 14%

Total: 21 100%

CONTENT ANALYSIS What do you believe are potential risk

factors for teen pregnancy?Category Number Distribution

(N=21)

Teen’s upbringing 6 29%

Immaturity 1 5%

Media 4 19%

Peer pressure 3 14%

Lack of education 2 10%

Early sexual relationships

1 5%

Unsafe sex 1 5%

No answer 11 52%

*For this question, some participants provided more than one answer

Mode: No answer

CONTENT ANALYSIS Do you believe that social media

such as the show “Teen Mom” have an effect on how teens view pregnancy?

Mode: Yes

Category Number Distribution

Yes 13 62%

No 2 10%

Never seen show

6 29%

Total: 21 100%

CONTENT ANALYSIS If so, what are the positive and/or negative effects?

For this question, some participants provided more than one answer

Mode (positive effects): Serves as a warning Mode (negative effects): Idolization of characters

and the fact that the show is unrealistic

Positive Effects

# Dist. (N=13)

Negative Effects

# Dist. (N=13)

Serves as a warning

12 92% Unrealistic 5 38%

Makes it seem acceptable

3 23%

Idolization of characters

5 38%

DEMOGRAPHICS

52%29%

10%

10%

Race/Ethnicity

Hispanic - 11Non-Hispanic White- 6African Ameri-can- 2Haitian- 2

24%

76%

Gender

Male- 5Female- 16

Mode Race/Ethnicity: HispanicMode Gender: Female

DEMOGRAPHICS

Age0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

0-17: 118-24: 925-35: 536-46: 447+: 2

Mean: 29Mode: 21.5Median: 25

DEMOGRAPHICS

24%

29%43%

5%

Income

None- 5Low- 6Middle Class- 9100K+: 1 5%

10%24%29

%

14%

19%

Educational At-tainment

Less than High School- 1

High School Diploma- 2

Some col-lege- 5

AA- 6

Bachelor's- 3

Master's +: 4

Mode Income: Middle ClassMode Educational Attainment: AA Degree

DEMOGRAPHICS

Household Composition0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Spouse & Children: 5Living with parents: 6Living with spouse: 4Single Parent: 1Single: 4Foster Family: 1

CONCLUSIONS We are sick and tired and we just want to graduate. …Just kidding.. Sort of

Conclusions:

71% of our participants had either experienced teen pregnancy

themselves or knew someone who had. This indicates that teen

pregnancy is very widespread in Miami Dade County. However,

the majority of the opinions expressed in the open ended

questions demonstrate negative themes and attitudes with

regards to teen pregnancy. Furthermore, most participants

believed that the media encourages teenagers to want to be

mothers, despite all of the disadvantages to teen pregnancy that

were commonly expressed.

RECOMMENDATIONS More sex education programs directed

toward both home and school in order to reduce teen pregnancy rates in Miami Dade County.

Promotion of participation in extra curricular activities that empower young women.

THANK YOU!!Congratulations class of 2012!!!