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The Sociocultural Context of Mexican-Origin Pregnant Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Teen Pregnancy and Links to Future Outcomes

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Abstract

Given the negative developmental risks associated with adolescent motherhood, it is important to examine the sociocultural context of adolescent mothers’ lives to identify those most at risk for poor outcomes. Our goals were to identify profiles of Mexican-origin pregnant adolescents’ cultural orientations and their attitudes toward teen pregnancy, and to investigate how these profiles were linked to adolescents’ pregnancy intentions, family resources, and short-term family, educational, and parenting outcomes. With a sample of 205 Mexican-origin adolescent mothers, we identified three profiles based on cultural orientations and attitudes toward teen pregnancy: Bicultural-Moderate Attitudes, Acculturated-Moderate Attitudes, and Enculturated-Low Attitudes. The results indicated that enculturated pregnant adolescents had the least favorable attitudes toward teen pregnancy, and the lowest levels of family income, pregnancy intentions, pregnancy support, and educational expectations compared to acculturated and bicultural pregnant adolescents; acculturated adolescents (with the highest family income and high levels of pregnancy support) had the highest levels of parenting efficacy 10 months postpartum. Our findings suggest that enculturated adolescent mothers (with less positive attitudes toward teen pregnancy) may benefit from educational support programs and enculturated and bicultural adolescent mothers (with moderately positive attitudes toward teen pregnancy) may benefit from programs to increase parenting efficacy. Such targeted interventions may, in turn, reduce the likelihood of adolescent mothers experiencing negative educational and parenting outcomes.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funds from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD061376; PI: Umaña-Taylor), the Department of Health and Human Services (APRPA006011; PI: Umaña-Taylor), and the Cowden Fund and Challenged Child Project of the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University. We thank the adolescents and female family members who participated in this study. We also thank Edna Alfaro, Mayra Bámaca-Colbert, Emily Cansler, Melinda Gonzales-Backen, Melissa Herzog, Ethelyn Lara, Jacqueline Pflieger, and the undergraduate research assistants of the Supporting MAMI project for their contributions to the larger study.

Author Contributions

SK participated in the study’s conception, interpreted the data, and drafted the manuscript. KZ participated in the study’s conception, performed the analyses, interpreted the data, and helped draft the manuscript. KU participated in the study’s conception, design and coordination, and provided feedback on the manuscript. AU participated in the study’s conception, design and coordination, and provided feedback on the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri, 314 Gentry Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Sarah E. Killoren & Katharine H. Zeiders

  2. T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, PO Box 873701, Tempe, AZ, 85287-3701, USA

    Kimberly A. Updegraff & Adriana J. Umaña-Taylor

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  1. Sarah E. Killoren
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  2. Katharine H. Zeiders
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Correspondence to Sarah E. Killoren.

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Killoren, S.E., Zeiders, K.H., Updegraff, K.A. et al. The Sociocultural Context of Mexican-Origin Pregnant Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Teen Pregnancy and Links to Future Outcomes. J Youth Adolescence 45, 887–899 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0387-9

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