Career aspirations of pregnant and parenting adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine career aspirations of pregnant and/or parenting adolescents. Social Cognitive Career Theory provided the theoretical framework. Females enrolled in a teenage parenting center completed a questionnaire to determine career aspirations. Findings indicated age and source of career information had a significant effect on career aspirations of participants. Pregnant adolescents aspired to more prestigious careers than parenting adolescents and adolescents who were both pregnant and parenting. A large portion of participants aspired to become registered nurses. Findings from this study can assist educators, counselors, and families in developing long-term programs to provide pregnant and parenting adolescents academic and career development skills for success in attaining their future career aspirations. While slightly decreasing in rates in recent years, adolescent pregnancy continues to be prevalent in the United States, with nearly one million teenage females becoming pregnant each year (Meade & Ickovics, 2005; Sarri & Phillips, 2004). The country’s adolescent pregnancy rate remains the highest among western industrialized nations, with 4 of every 10 pregnancies occurring in women younger than age 20 (Dangal, 2006; SmithBattle, 2003; Spear, 2004). Characteristics such as family structure, age at first intercourse, low self-esteem and educational expectations, poor academic performance, low socioeconomic status, and lack of career aspirations or goals have been associated with adolescent pregnancy (Kaufman, 1996;

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