Key Findings:

• Increased social support leads to less stress and other mental health issues in pregnant adolescents

Evidence:

• “A number of factors have been found to help offset the potential difficulties associated with adolescent pregnancy and parenthood...The presence of social support, in particular, has been found to help pregnant and parenting adolescents adjust to the potential stress of pregnancy and parenthood (Langfield and Pasley 1997). Studies have shown that social support can also promote maternal well-being (Logsdon and Koniak-Griffin 2005) and improve mother–infant interactions (Clemmens 2001).” (Devereux et. al, 3, 2009)

Connection: This source helped me to answer my individual question by explaining how support is significant in regards to stress levels. If society can be more supportive, the mental health and specifically stress levels of adolescent mothers will become more positive.

Key Findings:

• Pregnant adolescents in abusive and violent relationships had higher risks of developing mental health issues

Evidence:

• "Nearly 1 in 5 participants were involved in bilateral violence with their partner, placing the entire family at risk for adverse outcomes. IPV among pregnant adolescents was associated with increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes for all violence profiles, regardless of victimization or perpetration status.” (Thomas et. al, 5, 2019)

Connection: This source helped me answer my individual research question by explaining how mental disorders can occur in pregnant adolescents due to violence post and pre partum. It explained various factors that have a relationship with mental disorders, and possible solutions to help them.

Key Findings:

• Rates of substance abuse, depression, and self harm/suicidal behavior were at extremely concerning rates

Evidence:

• "Among adolescent mothers, rates of depression are estimated to be between 16% and 44%. ... studies of suicidality in adolescent mothers found rates ranging from 11% to 30%... Estimates of drug use among pregnant adolescents range from 11% to 52%" (Hodgkinson, 2, 2014)

Connection: This source helped me to answer my individual question by explaining various barriers that may restrict adolescent parents from getting professional help impacting them life long. It gave ways for medical professionals to support the adolescent parents without coming off as judgmental. If they can implement these methods in successful manners, it can help many teenage mothers and fathers mentally which can improve their quality of life.

Key Findings:

• Psychological and other interventions can help pregnant adolescents significantly

Evidence:

• “The coexistence of mental disorders and pregnancy among adolescents underscores the need for public health interventions that extend beyond the healthcare system. These include promoting mental health awareness, improving access to mental health services, enhancing sexual and reproductive health education, and providing comprehensive and effective support for pregnant adolescents with mental disorders.” (Nakyung, 8, 2024)

Connection: This source helped me answer my group and my individual research question due to its multiple solutions which go into depth on various mental needs of pregnant teens. It described multiple limitations behind the study and explained the needs in depth.

Key Findings:

• There were significantly high levels of depression in adolescents who had a history of sexual or physical abuse and substance abuse

Evidence:

• "This study identified that a history of alcohol use was a significant predictor of higher depressive scores. Moreover, a history of physical or sexual abuse was also a significant factor related to the severity of depressive symptoms in pregnant adolescents, independent of history of alcohol use, history of drug use, and history of depression.” (Tzilos, 3, 2012)

Connection: This source helped me to answer my individual question with multiple solutions. It explained various factors that have a relationship with depression, and solutions to help pregnant adolescents. If they can successfully integrate these methods into checkups or hospital visits, many pregnant teenage mothers can be treated earlier.

Key Findings:

• Younger siblings views on premarital pregnancy/intercourse were impacted by having a pregnant adolescent sister

• Younger siblings exhibited more behavioral issues due to this

Evidence:

• “the unmeasured family background factors that contributed to the older sister's pregnancy may be shaping the younger sister's outcomes. Further, younger siblings' predispositions toward early fertility could be compounded by or interact with the unique and independent effects resulting from a sister's pregnancy or childbearing in shaping younger siblings' outcomes." (East, 5, 1996)

Connection: This source helped me to answer my individual question by going into depth on how direct family members are impacted by adolescent pregnancies. It helped me understand the different aspects mothers and younger siblings may have to go through and how much the pregnancy affects the family. It broadened my knowledge on the overall impact had on families.

Key Findings:

• There is a lack of necessary interventions with pregnant adolescents

Evidence:

• “As many as 68 % of pregnant adolescents attending school report depressive symptoms (Logsdon et al. 2004). Despite this high rate, it is well known that screening is not done universally and that pregnant adolescents face higher barriers for both depression screening and treatment (Logsdon et al. 2009; Koniak-Griffin et al. 1996), due to poor recognition by both patients and providers.” (Koleva & Stuart, 2, 2014)

Connection: This source helped me to answer my individual question and helped me to understand more solutions. It explained various factors that have a relationship with depression, and solutions to help pregnant adolescents. It explained the factors behind these rates and the issue thoroughly. If they can successfully implement universal depression screening for adolescents in all clinical settings, we can help to fix this issue.

Key Findings:

• Various factors impact mental health in pregnant adolescents

• Psychological interventions can help these mental health issues and support them

Evidence:

• "While mental health during and after pregnancy has gained recognition as an important public health concern, adolescents who are pregnant ... may experience stigma, higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, more physical health risks, and challenging social environments." (Laurenzi et. al, 2, 2020)

Connection: This source helped answer my individual research question by explaining ways to help support adolescent parents effectively and how different methods work. It described limitations and showed how this has been an ongoing issue globally. It explained the topic and through different studies, they explained how psychological interventions can help accommodate the needs of the adolescent parents.