Pregnancy Profile, Relationship with Parents, and Child-rearing Experiences of Teenage Mothers in an Island Municipality in Quezon Province, Philippines

Teenage pregnancy is a global problem. It results to maternal and child mortality as well as socio-economic and physical burden among teenagers and their families. This causal-comparative and correlational study focused on teenage mothers of an island municipality in Quezon Province, Philippines. The research specifically identified the pregnancy profile of the 134 respondents. In addition, their relationship with parents and child-rearing experiences which might have led to their teenage pregnancy was explored. Using the modified version of the Parent-Child Relationship Scheme Scale (PCRSS), the respondents reported good levels of relationship with parents in terms of doing things together, communication and attention, helping and understanding behaviors and feelings, and love and respect with fair level of conflicts. Meanwhile, their child-rearing practices indicated weak influence that may result to teenage pregnancy. Further analysis using Kruskal Wallis H test showed that those who lived with parents during their first pregnancy have better relationship with parents. Age on first pregnancy was linked with the degree of child-rearing experiences. Also, Mann Whitney-U test showed that those who live in barrio areas and get their information about sex from parents, doctors, and school have higher influential child-rearing experiences that led to sexual behaviors. Lastly, Spearman Rank correlation presented that love and respect and less conflicts are linked with parental relationship which may buffer the influence of child- rearing experiences that may lead to teenage pregnancy.It is recommended to establish local policies and programs that could help address teenage pregnancy in school and municipal levels as well as strengthen family connectedness through family development sessions as a way to prevent conflicts and possibility of early pregnancy among teenagers.

Keywords – adolescence, child-rearing experiences teenage pregnancy, relationship with parents, sex