PSYCHOSOCIAL COMPETENCE IN PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT ADOLESCENTS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 145
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Individual and Family Studies.
Description: The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to describe the phenomenon of psychosocial competence in pregnant and non-pregnant adolescent females, ages 14 to 17. In addition, demographic data and selected aspects of subject history were measured. Interrelationship between demographic and social variables and psychosocial competence were explored in an effort to identify those variables most predictive of pregnancy in the adolescent.

Psychosocial competence, conceptualized by Tyler (1978) as a three-faceted personality configuration including internal-external locus of control, trust, and behavioral attributes of psychosocial competence (coping), was measured by Rotter's IE Scale, Rotter's Trust Scale and Tyler's Behavioral Attributes of Psychosocial Competence (BAPC) Scale. The demographic and social history variables were measured by an investigator designed instrument. A convenience sample of 64 unmarried, normal adolescent females were used as the study subjects. The study sample was well balanced by age, state of being pregnant and ethnicity.

Frequency tabulations were recorded on the social and demographic variables. There was a difference between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups in the frequency with which they attended church, the reported age at which they began dating, the reported number of siblings, and the reported frequency with which subjects reported living with two parents.

Scores were reported on the three scales. Significant correlation coefficients supported relationships between pregnancy and the following demographic variables: subjects not having any plans to attend college, a history of limited group social activities, a history of average to poor grades, living in a two parent home, and a history of never attending church.

A stepwise procedure was then used to identify a set of variables which could be used in a discriminant analysis to classify groups membership in pregnant and non-pregnant groups. The model, composed of the variables, no plans for college, church attendance, the father working, a large family, and trust were the ones which most discriminated between the groups. Seventy-five per cent of the pregnant subjects were classified in the pregnant group and ninety per cent of the non-pregnant subjects were classified into the non-pregnant group.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-07, Section: B, page: 1940.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1987.

School code: 0227.