Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology, as measured by the Youth Self-Report Scale, in pregnant adolescents so that interventions during pregnancy may be tailored to treat the psychopathology and thereby improve maternal and child outcomes. Methods: Scores on seven psychologic syndromes (withdrawn, delinquent, aggressive behaviors; anxiety/depression; and social, thought, and attention problems) were compared for groups of pregnant adolescents (n = 185), never pregnant teenagers (n = 126), and previously published normative samples of clinically referred (n = 518) and nonreferred (n = 518) female adolescents using chi-square, Student's t-tests, analysis of covariance, or multiple logistic regression. Correlates of psychopathology were identified for the pregnant sample using odds ratios and 95% confidence limits. Results: Pregnant adolescents exhibited less serious or lower rates of psychopathology than groups against which they were compared. Correlates of psychopathology included substance use during pregnancy, prior assault, maternal childbirth before age 18 years, ethnicity, ≥3 sexual partners, and absence of a relationship with the baby's father. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of psychopathology was lower among pregnant patients, those who exhibit psychopathology are likely to engage in risky health behaviors that contribute to poor perinatal outcome.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 35-43 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Adolescent Health |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1996 |
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Keywords
- adolescent pregnancy
- depression
- psychopathology
- substance use
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Cite this
Prevalence and correlates of psychopathology in pregnant adolescents. / Wiemann, Constance M.; Berenson, Abbey; Wagner, Karen; Landwehr, Brenda M.
In: Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 18, No. 1, 01.1996, p. 35-43.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and correlates of psychopathology in pregnant adolescents
AU - Wiemann, Constance M.
AU - Berenson, Abbey
AU - Wagner, Karen
AU - Landwehr, Brenda M.
PY - 1996/1
Y1 - 1996/1
N2 - Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology, as measured by the Youth Self-Report Scale, in pregnant adolescents so that interventions during pregnancy may be tailored to treat the psychopathology and thereby improve maternal and child outcomes. Methods: Scores on seven psychologic syndromes (withdrawn, delinquent, aggressive behaviors; anxiety/depression; and social, thought, and attention problems) were compared for groups of pregnant adolescents (n = 185), never pregnant teenagers (n = 126), and previously published normative samples of clinically referred (n = 518) and nonreferred (n = 518) female adolescents using chi-square, Student's t-tests, analysis of covariance, or multiple logistic regression. Correlates of psychopathology were identified for the pregnant sample using odds ratios and 95% confidence limits. Results: Pregnant adolescents exhibited less serious or lower rates of psychopathology than groups against which they were compared. Correlates of psychopathology included substance use during pregnancy, prior assault, maternal childbirth before age 18 years, ethnicity, ≥3 sexual partners, and absence of a relationship with the baby's father. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of psychopathology was lower among pregnant patients, those who exhibit psychopathology are likely to engage in risky health behaviors that contribute to poor perinatal outcome.
AB - Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology, as measured by the Youth Self-Report Scale, in pregnant adolescents so that interventions during pregnancy may be tailored to treat the psychopathology and thereby improve maternal and child outcomes. Methods: Scores on seven psychologic syndromes (withdrawn, delinquent, aggressive behaviors; anxiety/depression; and social, thought, and attention problems) were compared for groups of pregnant adolescents (n = 185), never pregnant teenagers (n = 126), and previously published normative samples of clinically referred (n = 518) and nonreferred (n = 518) female adolescents using chi-square, Student's t-tests, analysis of covariance, or multiple logistic regression. Correlates of psychopathology were identified for the pregnant sample using odds ratios and 95% confidence limits. Results: Pregnant adolescents exhibited less serious or lower rates of psychopathology than groups against which they were compared. Correlates of psychopathology included substance use during pregnancy, prior assault, maternal childbirth before age 18 years, ethnicity, ≥3 sexual partners, and absence of a relationship with the baby's father. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of psychopathology was lower among pregnant patients, those who exhibit psychopathology are likely to engage in risky health behaviors that contribute to poor perinatal outcome.
KW - adolescent pregnancy
KW - depression
KW - psychopathology
KW - substance use
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030046632&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030046632&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/1054-139X(95)00099-E
DO - 10.1016/1054-139X(95)00099-E
M3 - Article
VL - 18
SP - 35
EP - 43
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
SN - 1054-139X
IS - 1
ER -