Adolescent Mothers' Relationships With Their Children's Biological Fathers: Social Support, Social Strain, and Relationship Continuity
Gee, Christina Bing
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/82316
Description
Title
Adolescent Mothers' Relationships With Their Children's Biological Fathers: Social Support, Social Strain, and Relationship Continuity
Author(s)
Gee, Christina Bing
Issue Date
2000
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Rhodes, Jean E.
Department of Study
Psychology
Discipline
Psychology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Sociology, Individual and Family Studies
Language
eng
Abstract
Two-hundred and eighteen low-income, minority, adolescent mothers were interviewed during the perinatal period and three years later about their relationships with their children's fathers. Few adolescents were involved with fathers at both time points. A notable number (10%) of the fathers were either incarcerated or deceased by three years postpartum. Relationships with fathers were, in general, less supportive and less problematic over time. Several factors were associated with perceptions of higher levels of father support (e.g., romantic partner status, cohabitation) and relationship continuity (e.g., new partner support). Higher father occupational prestige was associated with of some types of support (e.g., childcare) but was also associated with more disappointment with fathers. Results indicated that father support was not associated with adolescent mothers' psychological adjustment. On the other hand, father strain had negative effects on psychological adjustment that were buffered by support from maternal grandmothers. Additional analyses suggested that strain from the child's paternal grandmother was associated with higher levels of psychosocial distress. Implications for intervention and policy are discussed.
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