Purpose: To identify aspects of maternal-adolescent relationships that are associated with high ambivalence toward pregnancy.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 350 inner-city, African-American females between the ages of 14 and 17 years residing in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Adolescent females and their resident female caretaker (usually the biological mother) were both interviewed. Multiple regression analyses were used to predict adolescents' pregnancy attitudes from maternal-adolescent discussions about pregnancy, perceived maternal disapproval of pregnancy, and relationship satisfaction.
Results: Greater levels of discussion about negative consequences of pregnancy, stronger levels of perceived maternal disapproval, and higher levels of satisfaction all were associated with more negative attitudes towards pregnancy on the part of the adolescent.
Conclusions: Maternal communication about the negative consequences of experiencing a pregnancy and the quality of the mother-daughter relationship more generally may impact on adolescent attitudes toward pregnancy.