Unscheduled Parenthood: Transition to ‘Parent’ for the Teenager

The unscheduled transition into parenthood for the teenager is discussed from three perspectives: 1) the transition to first‐time parenthood, 2) accelerated role transitions, and 3) the crisis of adding new family members. The literatures of these three areas are reviewed with special attention to variables that may be associated with progress toward personal and family goals. The teenager's family of origin may both contribute to and benefit from an adaptive response to the crisis of unscheduled teenage parenthood.