The impact of teenage pregnancy on the parents’ attitudes and beliefs and how it affects the family has been an area of study that has been mostly ignored (East, 1999). In the past, limited research in Mississippi has only focused on a small sector of education using the abstinence-only or abstinence-plus approaches. There is a need for education that goes beyond the abstinence approaches that acknowledges that teenagers are sexually active and are becoming sexually active at very young ages. Sexual health education should be placed in the schools, homes, and community centers and organizations. A parent’s attitude about teenage pregnancy and contraception determines if they are accepting of teen child bearing, and the extent of which
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Sherr & al. (2010) reported that the abstinence only approaches were effective in changing the attitudes of teenagers about sex until marriage, but the rate of current sexual activity remained the same. Proponents of abstinence only education believed that such programs would instill moral values in teenagers thus affecting their behaviors to decline premarital sex (Sherr & Dyer, 2010). In the same way, comprehensive sex education programs, asserted that while postponing sexual activity is optimal, teenagers had the right to be educated on preventative measures if they chose to become sexually active (McCave, 2007; Sherr & Dyer, …show more content…
Negative life outcomes are associated with being a teen parent including: school truancy, drop out, and constant dependency on public assistance to meet the needs of the teen and the child (McCave, 2007).
Examining a parent’s attitude about teenage pregnancy and contraception would give insight as to what the parent and the teen view as important as related to teenage pregnancy and using contraception. It will also demonstrate how effective communication about sex and contraception is, and why some teens carry out certain behaviors (having premarital sex for example) in the manner that they do. With the results, interventions could be tailored to meet the specific needs of the African American community with the hope of positive individual, community, and life outcomes.
Furthermore, there is a need for a connection of systems such as communities, government, and organizations to address the issues of teenage pregnancy, and implements implement plans that will provide solutions to decrease the occurrences. It is hoped that a joint effort will be taken to understand the complexity of the issue of teenage pregnancy, by collaborating with the collective whole to understand the totality of the issue and tailor interventions that are
Sherr & al. (2010) reported that the abstinence only approaches were effective in changing the attitudes of teenagers about sex until marriage, but the rate of current sexual activity remained the same. Proponents of abstinence only education believed that such programs would instill moral values in teenagers thus affecting their behaviors to decline premarital sex (Sherr & Dyer, 2010). In the same way, comprehensive sex education programs, asserted that while postponing sexual activity is optimal, teenagers had the right to be educated on preventative measures if they chose to become sexually active (McCave, 2007; Sherr & Dyer, …show more content…
Negative life outcomes are associated with being a teen parent including: school truancy, drop out, and constant dependency on public assistance to meet the needs of the teen and the child (McCave, 2007).
Examining a parent’s attitude about teenage pregnancy and contraception would give insight as to what the parent and the teen view as important as related to teenage pregnancy and using contraception. It will also demonstrate how effective communication about sex and contraception is, and why some teens carry out certain behaviors (having premarital sex for example) in the manner that they do. With the results, interventions could be tailored to meet the specific needs of the African American community with the hope of positive individual, community, and life outcomes.
Furthermore, there is a need for a connection of systems such as communities, government, and organizations to address the issues of teenage pregnancy, and implements implement plans that will provide solutions to decrease the occurrences. It is hoped that a joint effort will be taken to understand the complexity of the issue of teenage pregnancy, by collaborating with the collective whole to understand the totality of the issue and tailor interventions that are