A Hopeful Approach for Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Running head: A hopeful approach for Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Teenage Pregnancy Prevention

Human Behavior and the Social Environment II

In this paper I will demonstrate how to create a community intervention program that would aid a low-income community in meeting the needs of teenage pregnancy. There have been many reasons that cause Adolescent Pregnancy. A hopeful approach to teenage pregnancy would be prevention. A great deal of research has recognized a number of reasons that emphasize adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior, pregnancy, and childbearing. Several recent reports summarize these studies. (Dryfoos, 1990) There are to be considered five types of influences that contribute to these behaviors. These influences are biological, family, peer, partner and sibling, community, policy, and television. Among the many factors in each of these categories, four of them are the most predictive of early pregnancy and childbearing: poverty, school dropouts, early behavior problems, and family problems. (Moore, 1995)

I would choose a framework for organizing causes essential to teen pregnancy and childbearing. There are biological circumstances such as gender, age, testosterone level, and timing of puberty that are attributed to teen pregnancy. Some researchers such as Doug Kirby have shown that these circumstances are causally related to adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior and pregnancy, and they have moderate effects. A second set of circumstances could be seen as a demonstration of social inadequacy or disadvantage. This could consist of issues in the community and the family. Some issues may be violent crimes, poverty, unemployment, family marital troubles, parents' lack of education, mother's and/or sister's being an adolescent mother, poor child rearing practice, lack of parental support or supervision, and inappropriate sexual pressure or abuse. These issues can also affect the teen that is in question: lack of religious affiliation, drug and alcohol use, aggressiveness, engaging in other problem behaviors and deviance, criminal behavior, poor educational performance, and no hope for the future. Most or all of these factors could be connected to adolescent sexual behavior and pregnancy. One other variable that would sustain teen pregnancy would be the attitudes and belief system about sexual behavior and pregnancy. These values would be more than likely to be influenced and passed down from Parents and generations of families which would just keep repeating itself as if it were social norms.

This would indicate that society at large has a very complicated and complex issue to deal with; this is why we need to have Prevention programs that will address this at the level of the individual, family, and community.

The next phase of dealing with teenage pregnancy would be to develop a Prevention program. This program would have to be designed to address all underlying teen pregnancy factors and consequently reduce the problem. We could develop educational programs that would improve access to contraception and provide alternate multi-component programs. Educational programs could include individuals that teach abstinence and also teach an effective contraceptive practice. Some thoughts to this method would include skill development to postpone sexual involvement which would reduce risk. Another program that would be effective is to improve access to contraception and include the development of school-based clinics. In addition to school-based clinics, a family planning service should be formed to increase accessibility so it will appeal to the youth. Multi-facet programs may include some combination