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The role of family support in determining developmental outcomes in children of teen mothers

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Abstract

Children from teen parent families are impaired developmentally compared to children of older mothers. Family support has frequently been proposed as a mediator of the stress that teen parents experience as a result of teen parenthood. This longitudinal study investigates the role of family support factors and maternal characteristics in relation to child outcomes (6–7 year old children) in teen parent families. Two models outlining the role of partner and grandmother family support are proposed to explain the process by which child development occurs within the family contexts of teen families. Implications of the results for intervention are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Individual and Family Studies, Alison Annex, University of Delaware, 19716, Newark, DE

    Marcia L. Cooley R.N., M.S., C.S. & Donald G. Unger Ph.D.

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  1. Marcia L. Cooley R.N., M.S., C.S.
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  2. Donald G. Unger Ph.D.
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This research was supported in part by the University of Delaware General Research Fund and the Foundation for Child Development.

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Cooley, M.L., Unger, D.G. The role of family support in determining developmental outcomes in children of teen mothers. Child Psych Hum Dev 21, 217–234 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705907

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