Teenage pregnancy: A family systems approach

Concern over the incidence of teenage pregnancy has led to efforts to explain reasons for teens putting themselves at risk for getting pregnant. Most explanations offered look at individual characteristics, focusing on self-esteem or related variables. Other explanations focus on cultural factors such as the availability of sex education or contraceptives. Family factors are recognized as contributing to teenage pregnancy, but specific variables have not been clearly demonstrated to be salient. This paper utilizes concepts from family systems theory to explain pregnancy in late adolescence as a family dysfunction. In particular, concepts from Minuchin's structural family therapy and the “leaving home” concept of Haley are related to the problem. An illustrative case is presented and implications for service providers are discussed.