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Abstract
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AIMS & OBJECTIVES: Adolescent dating violence or intimate partner violence (IPV), is a critical issue in society today. The purpose of this study is to present the findings from a data set reflecting IPV among adolescents who are pregnant and parenting, and living in out-of-home care and to analyze these findings in order to generate potential interventions to address this significant issue.
BACKGROUND: Because of their developmental stage, coupled with the stress of pregnancy and new parenthood, adolescent women who are pregnant or postpartum are often at a high risk of abuse. Violence may include physical, emotional/psychological, verbal and sexual abuse, along with birth control sabotage and pregnancy coercion. Adolescent mothers in out-of-home care such as foster care, juvenile detention facilities, kinship care, or living in complex family circumstances may be at an even higher risk of IPV related to the increase in stress, conflict, and tenuous situations.
DESIGN: This descriptive study was designed, using baseline self-report and demographic data, to examine the relationship of pregnancy or parenting among adolescents with a fear of or reported involvement in IPV.
METHODS: A total of 151 sexually-active, urban, system-involved youths in out-of-home care were assessed between 2012 and 2015 with a survey questionnaire assessment of sexual reproductive health behaviors, areas of risk, and protective factors.
RESULTS: The findings indicated a significant association between ever having been pregnant and fear of IPV.
CONCLUSIONS: In this population, fear of intimate partner violence was prevalent among adolescent mothers, adding to the complexity of an already difficult family situation. Due to the small sample size and the potential correlation between IPV and adolescent motherhood, future longitudinal studies with larger samples of adolescents residing in out-of-home care are needed to better understand how this relationship impacts adolescent mothers, their children, and families. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Language: en |