Support relationships and teen mothers ’ school retention at one‐year postpartum

Abstract Teen mothers face unique barriers to continuing education, making important the identification of key elements in their support systems that facilitate educational attainment. In this longitudinal quasi‐experimental study, we investigate the unique role of different types and sources of support measured at baseline, from family and father of the baby, on teen mothers’ return to school after childbirth. We analyze data of 102 urban, low‐income African American teen mothers, retained over 12 months. Results show that teen mothers who received parental financial support soon after giving birth were over 5 times as likely to be in school or have graduated when their children were a year old. Additionally, remaining in a romantic relationship with the father of the baby was associated with reduced odds of returning to school, but only in the absence of an intervention program designed to support teen parent families . Findings highlight the unique importance of parental financial support, shortly after birth, on teen mothers’ school retention and suggest the relevance of clinical staff in supporting teen mothers in couple relationships to continue their education.
Source: Journal of Community Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: ARTICLE Source Type: research