Violence

• Teen mothers are at a high risk of being abused by their significant other either during pregnancy, within months after giving birth, or both. 

  • Health management and maintenance: Violence to a pregnant adolescent or adolescent mother can cause physical harm to herself and her child. This may cause health issues or developmental challenges to the mother and/or baby, and the mother may be too scared to reach out to a health professional. 

  • Child rearing: If a teenage mother is abused by her significant other, the baby will likely not receive proper care or support from both parents. Whether both parents are caring for the baby or not, the child may not receive proper attention due to anxiety, depression, or PTSD that the mother is suffering with. 

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Marginalization

• • Adolescent parents experience a great deal of exclusion. These individuals are often disregarded from participation in the typical life of a teenager due to carrying or giving birth to a child.

    • Family and friend social participation: Adolescent parents may get excluded from their friend group for different reasons. Teenagers may be stigmatized and looked at differently from their peers after becoming pregnant, or they ma not have the time to spend with friends once having the responsibility of caring for a child. It is also common for adolescent parents to have an unstable relationship with their family members, as they may face disappointment from parents or be viewed as irresponsible. 

    • Education: Adolescent parents are less likely than other teenagers to graduate high school. The main reasons for not finishing their education include the following: lack of support from staff or friends, embarrassment, health issues, and limited childcare options. Due to the lack of education, adolescent parents have more difficulty finding a stable job to support themselves and their child throughout life. 

 

Powerlessness

• Adolescent parents do not have significant power to participate in making policy decisions. They are often treated with disrespectful treatment from members of society due to being viewed as making immature decisions.  

  • Employment: Adolescent parents have a harder time finding and maintaining employment due to the fact that employers may discriminate against young parents, or give a less flexible schedule that will accommodate the teenager's needs. 

  • Financial management: If adolescent parents are able to find a stable job, they have less of a chance of moving up into a higher paid position, because there is a decreased chance that they have a high school or college degree. 

 

Cultural Imperialism 

• The majority of adolescent aged individuals are not pregnant, so teenagers that become pregnant or have a child are viewed as abnormal. These individuals are marked by stereotypes and often viewed as invisible.  

  • Religious and spiritual activities and expression: Dependent upon the religion that an adolescent practices, they may be shamed by their religious affiliation or family due to breaking the norm and going against the beliefs. 

  • Community social participation: Adolescent parents have a decreased chance of engaging in activities that lead to interaction in the community, due to trying to balance a life with a child and receiving acceptance from others.