Adolescent Pregnant Girls

Categories: Teenage Life Is Difficult Teenage Pregnancy

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 12 million girls aged between 15-19 years get pregnant each year in developing countries, while 10 million pregnancy occur yearly between adolescent girls in developed countries. There have been several studies on how parents and peers influence the development of teens. The behavioural changes that are seen in a person's life since birth is referred to as human development. According to (Brofenbrenner 5), social development is fully understood after understanding the ecological system where the subject lives.

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Hence, parents and peers have quite an influence on a teen's behavioural change. Parenting styles and peer pressure are primarily the two main factors to consider when discussing influence by parents and peers. Thus, it is critical to analyze whether teenage pregnancy is influenced more by peers or parents.

One of the factors that determine if teens are influenced more by their peers or parents is the economic or financial stability of their parents. A financially stable family is one that meets all its basic needs without much struggle.

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Teens brought up in low-income families spend most of their time in time at home with their extended families. In these neighbourhoods parents always worry that their kids may get shot, beaten up or end up in trouble with the law. They are more likely to be influenced by their parents than their peers. The teens lack basic needs and therefore, could get into relationships to get their basic needs such as food and clothing ( Copping et al. 140). The children from poor backgrounds are also likely to spend most of the time out of school due to lack of fees and hence have more time to engage in early sexual relationships.

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In contrast, teens from well off families are more influenced by their peers than their parents. Higher-income and middle-income parents see their children as projects, hence a lot of control. Consequently, the teens become rebellious trying to prove they can manage on their own lives. Furthermore, when they get into trouble, their parents are always there to save the situation. Making them careless and always trying to impress their peers.

Culture plays a vital role in determining whether a teenager will be more influenced by either the parents or peers. Interaction of teens with their peers is a common characteristic among all cultures. However, there is significant variability in the nature and degree of contact. In African American culture, teens or adolescents spend more time with their peers than their parents (Workshop Report). Consequently, peers have more influence in their life than their parents. On the other hand, in the white culture, teens or adolescents spend more time with their peers than parents, but in this case, the parents are more concerned with their kids’ welfare. Making them have more influence on their teenage lives than their peers.

The parent-child relationship is another factor that determines who has more influence between parents and their teen peers. The relationship is built from birth whereby the parents spends quality time and creating an environment of trust and respect (Department Of Health). The parent is free with the child and opens up on topics such as relationship, family planning and sex. The teenagers also talk to their parents whenever they are faced by any challenges or when they get into early relationships. The parents will have an opportunity to advise the children appropriate. Hence, the teens who rarely respect and trust, their parents get more influenced by their peers. However, if there is a distant relationship between the parents and the children, then the children would seek comfort from their peers who would later influence their behaviours and decisions.

According to the Pew Research Centre, 88% of homes have computers in the United States. However, this varies with the level of education and income. 95% of teens between the ages of 13-17 own a smartphone. Most teens have access to the internet and social media. Which facilitate communication, flirting or sexting and media bullying (Anderson & Jiang). The three factors not only affect the teen psychologically but pushes them away from their parents. They can easily interact with their peers and can exchange messages and images. Concluding that their peers than their parents more influence teens who have access to the internet and social media. Their parents more influence those who have less access or no access at all.

Poor and neglectful parenting styles harm the development of the child. Other than inadequate and negligent parenting styles, there are other factors affecting teens and attracting them to peer pressure. Factors such as social expectations, values, beliefs, discrimination and bullying. However small they may seem, they go a long way in affecting the teen's behaviour and his/her feelings towards their parents. In a nutshell, the factors that favour a teen to be influenced by their parents are so few compared to those that push them towards their teens. Consequently, parents' influence stands no chance in the face of peer pressure.