THE INFLUENCE OF SELF IMAGE AND STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS ON COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY IN ADOLESCENTS.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 118
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study investigated factors related to outcome of pregnancy in a group of pregnant adolescents. The purposes were to determine if there were relationships between: self image or stressful life events and complications of pregnancy; age and self image or stressful life events; and complications of pregnancy and self image or stressful life events. Also, was age a contributing factor in complications of pregnancy?.

The sample consisted of 58 pregnant adolescents ages 15-19 who were patients in three Public Health clinics in the southeast region of the United States. Data were collected via the Schedule of Recent Experience, Offer Self Image Questionnaire and an investigator developed demographic data form and complication of pregnancy worksheet. Statistical analyses utilized were descriptive statistics, Chi-square test of association and ETA((eta)). The statistical hypotheses were tested at p = .05 level of significance.

Results of ETA((eta)) showed no relationship between: self image or stressful life events and complications of pregnancy; age and stressful life events or self image: anemia and self image or stressful life events; or pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and stressful life events. A weak relationship was found between the areas of self image: emotional tone 10% ((eta)('2) = .10); body and self image 10% ((eta)('2) = .10); sexual relationships 10% ((eta)('2) = .10); family relationships 7% ((eta)('2) = .07); and psychopathology 11% ((eta)('2) = .11) and PIH. Results of chi-square showed no association between stressful life events or age and complications of pregnancy.

The investigator concluded that this sample of adolescents had a positive feeling about themselves and maintained homeostasis despite the external changes of pregnancy. Subjects had a high percentage of complications of pregnancy but adaptation responses helped stimulate body defenses to maintain homeostasis. The Schedule of Recent Experience may not accurately measure stress levels in a pregnant adolescent.

Recommendations include: replication with a larger sample of pregnant adolescents, development of an accurate adolescent life event tool, specific attention to nutritional counseling, further studies regarding PIH and self image, and further studies into the nature of the resistance of adolescents with moderate or major stressful life events to complications of pregnancy.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: B, page: 1114.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1985.

School code: 0005.