Adoption as an option for unmarried pregnant teens

Adolescence, Winter, 1993 by Marcia Custer

INTRODUCTION

In the United States, adolescent pregnancy and child rearing is recognized as a contemporary health and social problem because of its sustained high rate compared to other developed nations, and its association with other social ills such as reduced educational attainment, underemployment, substance abuse, suboptimal parenting, and welfare dependency. Rarely are young unmarried mothers economically or developmentally prepared for parenthood without considerable help and support from others.

Abortion is the route chosen by more than 40% of pregnant adolescents (Hayes & Hofferth, 1987). National concern has been expressed at this high rate and increasingly, relinquishing the child for adoption is suggested as a positive alternative. This option, much more popular a generation ago, is chosen by fewer than 5% of teenagers who give birth. Public interest in increasing consideration of adoption is related to a desire to maximize the welfare of the adolescent as well as her child, and to reduce the cost of supporting dependent families. In view of the absence of any information to explain the change in relinquishing practices among teenagers who do not or cannot choose abortion, this study explored the reasons for such low interest in adoption among this "at risk" population.

Literature Review

Between 1970 and 1987 19 studies were reported that related to option consideration by pregnant adolescents. These studies were primarily quantitative and disclosed a number of variables such as education, SES, family structure, age, school achievement and goals, and religion that were found to be predictors of pregnancy decisions for the various populations studied. There were, however, few insights into the reasons adoption is so rarely considered. Since variables were usually preselected, it could not even be assumed that the right questions were asked. Two of the more current adoption researchers particularly noted the need for more inductive, theory-building research to increase the usefulness of existing research for clinical practice (Resnick, 1984; Mech, 1986).

Studies by Kallen and Griffore (1989) and Resnick (1987) employed matched sample designs (relinquishers/nonrelinquishers) with relatively large samples to validate and expand comparative information on important decision-making variables. Such findings, however, still did not indicate the meaning of these variables to the adolescent and her family, or how they influence the decision process.

Mech's (1984) study, the Orientation of Pregnancy Counselors Toward Adoption, validated the general low level of accurate information about adoption, as well as the reluctance of helping professionals to encourage unmarried pregnant adolescents to consider adoption. Of special significance to nurses in Mech's finding that persons providing counseling and information in health settings were even less informed about adoption and less inclined to help pregnant teenagers explore options than was the case in agencies that were not health related.

The purpose of this study was to analyze data on the meaning of phenomena related to adoption consideration by unmarried pregnant adolescents. The results will assist helping professionals increase the frequency with which they encourage thoughtful consideration of adoption as a result of their greater sensitivity to the meaning and interpretation of adoption by such clients. It is believed that the life opportunities for optimal outcomes of both the adolescent and her child would be enhanced if adoption was carefully considered so that abortion would not be viewed as the only alternative to parenting, and that parenting would be by choice, not default.

METHOD

This study combined phenomenologic and constant comparative approaches (Omery, 1983; Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Swanson-Kauffman, 1986) to answer the question: What are the meanings of phenomena identified as influencing attitudes, beliefs, and decision-making about adoption as an option among adolescents experiencing an unplanned pregnancy?

The symbolic interaction theory of human behavior guided the planning, observation, management, and analysis of data collected through interviewing pregnant adolescents and their significant others (Blumer, 1969; Chenitz & Swanson, 1986). The sample consisted of 21 unmarried Caucasian adolescents in the last trimester of an unplanned pregnancy as well as significant others whom they identified as being influential in helping them make decisions about the future. Subjects were referred by social service and health care agencies serving pregnant adolescents in a midwestern metropolitan area. They were enrolled in the order in which they volunteered to participate, with no attempt to control for option interest. Subjects came primarily from Hollingshead's Social Class III and IV; none came from families currently receiving welfare. The sample was racially limited in order to control for important cultural variables thought to differ among ethnic groups in regard to beliefs about relinquishing a child for adoption. Subjects were interviewed twice, once during the last trimester of pregnancy, and again six to eight weeks after delivery. An open-ended interview was used to explore concepts thought to be important to pregnancy decision making, as well as variables previous studies had found to be discriminators among those making abortion, adoption, and parenting decisions. Congruent with the constant comparative method of data collection, the interview format was modified on an ongoing basis to accommodate new information generated by participants.