Assignment Task

 

INTRODUCTION
Thus, the aim of this particular study is to examine the subjective well-being amongst adolescent mothers between the age of 14-19 years and the correlate of adolescent motherhood in South Africa. The literature rteview is presented under sub-headings derived from the study?s sub-research questions. The sub-headings are: Teenage pregnancy and school attendance, teenage mothers subjective well-being, and correlate of adolescent motherhood.

Well being varies within cultures and context. Studies on the wellbeing and mothering challenges of adolescent in some developing nations have focused on the general poor well-being of adolescent mothers rather than exploring their agency and subjective well being within specific context. This study explores adolescent mothers (13-20) subjective well-being by focusing on their childbirth , mothering experience and available support.

Teenage pregnancy in SA is a multifaceted problem with many contributing factors such as poverty, gender inequalities, gender-based violence, substance use, poor access to contraceptives and issues with termination of pregnancy; low, inconsistent and incorrect use of contraceptives, limited number of healthcare practitioners and healthcare facilities, poor healthcare workers’ attitudes and behavior, and inadequate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information [6–9]. Understanding the factors or determinants associated with teenage pregnancy is crucial because it is this understanding that will enable development of intervention programmes needed to address teenage pregnancy in the country. Thus, the aim of this particular study is to examine the subjective well-being amongst adolescent mothers between the age of 14-19 years in South Africa

BACKGROUND
Research on teenage pregnancy in South Africa has followed the international trend of conceptualising teenage pregnancy as a social problem with the attendant negative consequences (Macleod, 1999a:l-7). One of the major deleterious effects of teenage pregnancy is considered to be disruption of the teenager's education that often accompanies pregnancy. Several studies have found that many teenagers who fall pregnant do not plan on returning to school (Mkbize, 1995:l; Mosidi, 1992:l). Thus, the career prospects are severely unrestricted, potentially limiting the teenager to lower socio-economic status. A second issue that has been identified in the literature is that teenage pregnancy can pose a health risk to the teenager and her baby. Research findings indicate that obstetric outcomes for teenage mothers are poorer than for adult mothers, with induced hypertension, premature labour and anaemia considered to be significant complications in the teenage group (Boult & Cunningham, 1992: 154; Goldberg & Craig, 1983:863). Another problem associated with teenage pregnancy is relationship difficulties that the pregnancy may bring. The teenager may experience ostracism, isolation, and rejection by her family members and outsiders (Dlamini & Mackenzie, 1991 :28; Ntombela, 1992: 1; Zama, 1991:l

The rate of teenage pregnancy in South Africa has reached alarming proportions. According to statistics released by the Medical Research Council, one in three girls will be pregnant before the age of 20. More and more teenagers are becoming sexually active with children as young as 13 experimenting with sex. With few teenagers using contraceptives or protection to prevent pregnancies, in one year more than 17 000 babies were born to mothers 16 and younger. Of that number, 4 000 were born to mothers under 14. Considering thal abortions have been legalised in South Africa since 1997. the real figure of teenage pregnancies is probably much higher than the official statistics.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The effects of teenage pregnancy which involve among others, grade repetition and periods of temporary withdrawal from school lead many young women in sub-Saharan Africa to remain enrolled at the primary or junior secondary level well past puberty and into their late teens, thus increasing their risk of pregnancy-related school disruptions (Grant & Hallman, 2006). In the same breath, Chigona and Chetty (2007:2) maintain that there are some schools that do not allow pregnant girls and young mothers to attend classes in sub-Saharan countries of Africa. According to the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Executive director indicates that in Zambia alone, 2,230 girls had been forced to drop out of school for the last years because they fell pregnant. Most studies (Natalie-Rico, 2011:10) found that dropping out of high school is a negative effect of teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is commonly associated with school non-attendance and dropout. Pregnancy and its complications often predispose youths to permanently leave school. Study conducted in Canada and the United States have shown that young mothers are at a greater risk of leaving school or attaining a lower level of education, and therefore reaching professional dead-ends or missing out on job opportunities (Tipper, 1997) (2011:1).
Similarly, Hosie (2002) revealed that the minority of teenage women who conceive under the age of 16 and whose pregnancy lead to a disruption of education – including formal exclusion by school authorities, had a limited range of opportunities available to them with regard to their continued education. The present study intended to find out about the subjective well-being of adolescent mothers in South Africa. Recent research has revealed that teenage pregnancy is the reason why young women drop out of school and fail to finish their education and has highlighted that many young women have either been officially excluded from school or have effectively disengaged themselves from education (Hosie, 2002:5). Almost half of childbearing mothers fail to complete their high school education, thus increasing the probability of persistent economic and social disadvantage (Barnet, Arroyo, Devoe & Duggan, 2004:262

The study conducted by Sodi (2009:21) reveal that in many cases, teenage mothers are not in a position to go back to school after delivery as they are forced to look after their children and others are threatened by their physical health conditions which do not make it conducive for them to go back to school.. Runhare and Vandeyar (2011) argue in their study which compared Zimbabwe and South African educational policy frameworks that there is educational access to all children, including pregnant teenagers. Varga (2003:162) contends that “even though girls are legally allowed to attend school during and after pregnancy in South Africa, they are often confronted by the stigma of teachers and peers in the school environment”. Teenage mothers are 20 per cent more likely to have no qualification at the age of 30 than a mother giving birth aged 24 and over (Lemos, 2009:14).

This is not the case with Ladbrook (2009:4) who maintains that in some schools, principals do not fully understand the implications of the policy on inclusion or they feel the educators are inadequately skilled to accommodate children or learners with special needs or barriers to learning (which include, for example, migrant learners, learners who have inadequate schools or inappropriate curricular and teaching or learners who are pregnant) such that the needs of learners with barriers to learning are not being adequately met in mainstream classroom settings. Gultig, Hoadley and Jansen, (2002:89) postulate that the inclusive education system in South Africa has been initiated and structured through National Education and carries a message of support from „top down? to the classroom with networking on all levels, so that all learners are expected to reach the same critical outcomes as formulated by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA, 1997). These outcomes are aimed at promoting among others, a country free of discrimination and prejudice. Farrel (2000:154) and Farrel (2001:7) brought forth their ideas revolving around the theme of the Jomtien World Conference of Education For All (EFA) of 1990, that mainstream schools should cater for all their pupils as „inclusive schools for all? and children should take a full and active part in the life of a mainstream school, be welcomed as full members of the group and valued for the contribution they make, with value invested in diversity. There is a strong link between teenage parenthood and lack of participation in education, training and employment at age 16 and 17, but some 90 per cent of teenage parents receive income benefits which will improve their educational and employment opportunities (Swann, Bowe, McCormic & Kosmin, 2003:14). Mpanza (2006:25) adds to this version that there is an advantage in having a child whilst still a teenager, believing that teenagers gain adult status and social identity, need for moral improvement which means they become less selfish and learn to share, experience expansion of the self when someone dies, affection, creativity, power and influence on the baby, stimulation and fun, comparing one?s child with children of others, economic utility, that is, contribution to family?s income through state?s child support grant..

Subjective well-being of adolescent mothers
According to …., the subjective Well-Being looks at anything that contributes to ones happiness, which is anything that brings one joy and unhappiness which is temporary feeling associated with being unsatisfied, this in simple terms is defined as an instrument that is theoretically grounded and specifically focuses on measuring the following facets of multiple factors which are both positive and negative to ones well-being.
This stage is between childhood and adulthood and normally, this is the school-going stage. The teenagers experience puberty and the uncertainty of the adult roles ahead. Teenagers are sometimes preoccupied with other people’s perceptions about them. This stage is characterized by teenagers exploration and being resourceful in order to acquire identity (Weiten, 2011). Identity refers to a stable sense of knowing who one is and what one’s values and ideals are. In contrast, identity confusion occurs when the individual fails to develop a coherent and enduring sense of self and has difficulty committing to roles, values, people, or occupational choices. In this regard, pregnant teenagers are more inclined to experience identity- confusion, which may be exacerbated by substance use, domestic violence and lower self-esteem this brings a concern to their psychosocial wellbeing (Leiononnen et al., 2003).

 

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  • Posted on : July 22nd, 2019

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