Adolescent pregnancy and parenthood: Recent evidence and future directions.

This paper presents an overview of recent research and theory concerning adolescent sexual activity, pregnancy, and parenthood. Although the rate of teenage childbearing has decreased substantially since mid-century, increasing proportions of teenage mothers who are unmarried and receiving welfare have raised public concern about repercussions of young parenthood. New research with innovative methodologies is discussed which suggests that many of the negative outcomes of teenage mothers previously ascribed to mothers' age are as much causes or correlates of teenage pregnancy as effects of it, although this claim is less substantiated regarding the effects of teenage parenthood on the children of teenage mothers. Literature on the fathers and grandmothers of such children is summarized, and suggestions made for furthering this research. An overview is given of intervention programs, with a focus on successful efforts at deferring sexuality and pregnancy in adolescents and on aiding teenage mothers on welfare. Finally, policy implications for teenage mothers and their children of the new federal welfare law are considered. Throughout this review, focus is given to the relative dearth of knowledge on the psychological precursors and consequences of adolescent pregnancy and parenthood.