Abstract: This paper covers 110 teenage mothers enrolled in the TEENS project of the Centers for Youth and Families in Little Rock, AR. The majority of participants are African American, ranging in age from 13-18, from families eligible for public assistance. This presentation will focus on perceptions of identity and its impact on use of welfare and other support services.
While the majority of our sample say that having a baby has made them "feel more like an adult" and like to be "treated like an adult", over 95% are still dependent children. Almost all live with their mothers or another adult relative. While the majority say they want to be "good mothers," their mothers or other adult relative assume most parental responsibility for the baby, and this appears to increase as the baby gets older. At baseline, none were receiving welfare payments in their own names. Very few reported receiving other services (WIC, food stamps, etc.). Very few thought they would ever be on welfare.
Questions about values, sources of values and thoughts about education and careers were used to measure the identity status of participants. It would appear that the majority had very clear, rigid, values and beliefs and unrealistic expectations about the future. Results appear to confirm the idea of foreclosure as the predominate identity status and suggest that most teenage mothers are not making much progress toward an adult identity. Failure to accept adult responsibility plays a major role in their failures to utilize available services.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants should be able to: 1) gain knowledge about perceptions of identity and identity status; 2) understand how perceptions of identity impact use of welfare and other support services; and 3) appreciate the relevance of this concept for designing programs for teenage mothers
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Service Delivery
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.