When teenagers become mothers : teenagers' experiences of pregnancy and motherhood

• Main Author: Joubert, Anne-Marie
• Other Authors: Kruger, L. M.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2010
• Subjects: Teenage pregnancies; Teenage mothers; Teenage pregnancy > Psychological aspects; Dissertations > Psychology; Theses > Psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4866

Digitized using a Konica Minolta 211 PCL Scanner. 300dpi (OCR). === Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Most portrayals in the media, research and clinical literature of teenage pregnancy and motherhood concentrate on the negative consequences for the teenager, the baby and society. Although these portrayals do capture the experience of some of the cases, they fail to grasp the complexity of these teenagers' life choices and the alternative positive impact teenage pregnancy and motherhood may have on their lives. This qualitative study focuses on the autobiographical narrative of the teenager as she experiences pregnancy and becomes a mother. The sample consists of eight participants from a rural community outside Stellenbosch, South Africa. One pre-birth interview as well as three interviews after the birth of the baby were audio taped and transcribed. Responses showed significant data with regards to the impact of the emotional experience of teenage pregnancy and motherhood on the teenager, as well as her experience of herself, changes in her life as well as the nature of the pregnancy and motherhood experience. To date, the literature does not account for the unique and individual nature of how teenage pregnancy and motherhood impacts the individual. In contrast, this research illustrates the changes in the thoughts, emotions and behaviours of teenagers when they become mothers. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die meeste uitbeeldings in die media, navorsing en kliniese literatuur met betrekking tot tiener swangerskap en moederskap fokus op die negatiewe gevolge vir die tiener, die baba en die samelewing. Alhoewel hierdie uitbeeldings tog die ervaringe van sekere van die gevalle verteenwoordig, misluk dit om die kompleksiteit van die tieners se lewenskeuses vas te vang, asook die alternatiewe positiewe impak wat tiener swangerskap en moederskap op hulle lewens kan hê. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie fokus op die outobiografiese naratiewe van die tieners soos hulle swangerskap en moederskap ervaar. Die deelnemers bestaan uit agt tieners vanuit 'n plaasgemeenskap buite Stellenbosch, Suid-Afrika. Een onderhoud tydens die tiener se swangerskap sowel as drie onderhoude na die geboorte van die baba is opgeneem en getranskribeer. Betekenisvolle data ten opsigte van die impak van die emosionele ervaring van tiener swangerskap en moederskap, asook die tiener se ervaring van haarself, veranderinge in haar lewensstyl en die aard van die swangerskap en moederskap ervaring het duidelik na vore gekom in die onderhoude. Tot op hede neem die literatuur nie die unieke en individuele aard van hoe tiener swangerskap en moederskap die individu beinvloed, in ag nie. In teenstelling illustreer hierdie navorsing die veranderinge in die denke, emosies en optrede van die tieners soos hulle moeders word.