Supporting Academic Success of Teen Mothers

This assignment delves into the multifaceted challenges and support systems surrounding teen mothers' academic journeys. It examines existing literature, research studies (like Kiptaunui et al., 2014), and program initiatives aimed at fostering their educational attainment. The focus is on identifying barriers to success and exploring holistic service models that can effectively address the everyday stressors and obstacles faced by these young mothers.

Running head- ACADEMIC BARRIERS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
ACADEMIC BARRIERS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Prospectus
Submitted to North central University
School of Education
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
by
MERVIL TINKER
San Diego, California
December 2017

1ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Table of Contents
Background................................................................................................................................2
Statement of the Problem...........................................................................................................3
Purpose of the study...................................................................................................................4
Research questions.....................................................................................................................5
Hypotheses (quantitative studies only)......................................................................................6
H10.............................................................................................................................................6
H1a.............................................................................................................................................6
H20.............................................................................................................................................6
H2a.............................................................................................................................................6
Research method and design.....................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8
Appendix A: annotated bibliography.............................................................................................12

2ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Introduction
Teenage pregnancy among the African American teens is a matter of great concern all
over the USA. The factors leading to this crisis are several which will be discussed in the
paper. Due to unwanted teen pregnancies among the African American teens in United
States, they are facing many hurdles and barriers on the path to their success (Haberland &
Rogow, 2015). They face problems in going back to their daily lives and they fall back in
pursuing their academics as well. This acts as a great barrier in the progress of the entire
community as a whole, which leads to various social factors like unemployment, low job
wages, low higher education and so on. This lack of progress among these teens often leads
to psychological and social repercussions, which affect them and the community as a whole.
Background
A large part of the African American community in the United States is undergoing a
common crisis of unwanted pregnancies among the teen girls. Due to a high rate of teenage
pregnancies among the African American teens, these teens are facing hindrances to continue
higher education, which again leads to a lack of job opportunities and the progress of the
community (Barr et al., 2013). This is a major social problem that affects the country and a
important barrier for the African American community as a whole. Over the last two decades,
this problem has been steadily decreasing due to various social and legal efforts taken to curb
the problem. However, even then, compared to the white American teens the African
American teen pregnancy rate is high. A major reason for teenage students facing in school
is the school’s rigidity with attendance policies and inadequate opportunities for leaves for
teenage mothers. These young mothers find it difficult to juggle their new responsibilities and
school academics. The insensitivity and humiliation faced by these young mothers from the
school authorities push them into further depression. Among the African American teenagers,

3ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
especially education rates are low which results in poverty, unemployment and backwardness
among them (Haberland & Rogow, 2015). The schools serve an extremely role in
contributing to removing these barriers for the students by preparing and teaching these
students about the evil effects of early pregnancy and school dropouts (Butler et al., 2013).
They can arrange for special classes for the young mothers at regular intervals so that they do
not miss out their daily academic classes. Teen mothers face various discrimination by the
community and undergo severe isolation and humiliation at home and the community
(Childs, Knight & White, 2015). Low financial power of the community further stops these
students from pursuing academics (Gardner III & Mayes, 2013). To meet the extra expenses
after the childbirth, the mothers have to work extra shifts and devote time to both work and
home. This stops them further from attending colleges and pursues academics geography
plays a major role in teenage pregnancies too (Edwards et al., 2015).
Statement of the Problem
The study is done to examine and identify the problems and factors revolving around
African American teenage mothers and the barrier in their academic pursuits. These teens are
too young and immature to deal with all the responsibilities that come with the baggage of a
teen mother. Teen pregnancy is a problem that plagues many societies. Beside their added
responsibilities of being a mother, they also face several hindrances and barriers in continuing
with their academics. Being young mothers at a tender age increases the chances of academic
dropouts among girls leading to low educational qualifications and low rate of employment.
Many researches argue that teenage childbearing leads to several psychological issues like
depression, low educational achievement, lower opportunities for job and low socio-
economic status. A majority of these teens comes from lower financial strata with low
financial capabilities. Due to unplanned teen pregnancy, they are unable to overcome the
barriers and expand their income and their financial options.

4ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
These teen mothers face various social stigmas and stereotypes, which further creates
psychological barriers for them. Some mothers can rejoin school after pregnancy whereas
some face several issues in going back to academics. Most teens do not get sufficient support
from families and societies to overcome the barriers. The rural and suburban states have
higher rates of pregnancies due to lack of education, awareness and preventive techniques
(Chandra et al., 2014). The southern states have higher rate of teenage pregnancies as well as
higher HIV infection as compared to the other states. Education and availability of
contraceptives are important factors in eradicating teenage pregnancies. Many researches find
out that teen pregnancies in many cases occur in generational cycles (Penman et al., 2013).
Depression and psychological stress affect these mothers and they become mentally crippled
to go on with normal academic life (Goesling et al., 2014).
African American mothers who have achieved success professionally even after
childbearing prove that if they get a chance they can achieve success. Thus to overcome and
eliminate the barriers measures need to be taken collectively by the society and government
collectively. Teen mothers must be helped to continue their academic life and deal with their
newly added crisis. Hence, the problem statement of the research is to identify the factors that
are hindering the academic progress of young teenage mothers.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study is to find out the barriers that are posing a threat to young
teen African American mothers. The study will focus on the areas at home, school and
society as a whole to see how these factors affect the academic progress of these mothers.
The study will aim to find out how educational stakeholders can help in the academic success
of these teen mothers. The study is conducted on 20 teenagers between the age group of 14-
18 who would participate in 10 group discussions. The participants are from the African
American background representing the teenagers and, after studying them, it would be easier

5ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
to understand the subject matter in the study (Atkins & Wilkins, 2013). Since the study
focuses on African American teen girls, the participants in the study represent that section of
the community. Adolescents between the ages of 13-19 are termed as teenagers. Those
teenage girls becoming pregnant within the age of 13-16 are called early teen pregnancies and
those under 17-19 are counted under late teen pregnancies. The participants belong to the
African American community and are either pregnant or have been through early
pregnancies.
All the participants have taken part in the study voluntarily and selected based on a
form that they fill up. These group discussions will be held in the school conference room
and each discussion will last for one hour. The response of the participants will be videotaped
and analyzed for next week’s session.
Research questions
 What are the barriers that hinder the academic success of African American teen
mothers?
 What barriers do the home and community pose on the path of academic success of
African American teen mothers?
 What are the various individual barriers that these teen mothers face that hinder their
academic success of African American teen mothers?
 How can administrators, teachers, parents and society leaders eradicate the barriers to
the African American teen mothers?
 What support can administrators, teachers, parents and community leaders render to
promote the academic success of teen mothers of African American background?

6ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Hypotheses (quantitative studies only)
H10. Null hypothesis- Academic barrier students’ face at school is the most important barrier
for teen mothers.
H1a. Alternative hypothesis- Academic barriers are not the only barriers African American
teen mothers face but financial barriers are also an important barrier that hinders their
academic success.
H20. Null hypothesis- Family barriers constitute a big hindrance for teen mothers.
H2a Alternative hypothesis- Family barrier is not the only barrier but barrier by the society
towards these teen mothers can also be the major reason why teens drop academics.
Research method and design
The research method the study attempts is by attempting to conduct a survey of the
participants to study and understand the reasons and factors leading to the African American
teen pregnancies. The participants are chosen after they satisfied the stratified sampling
method. All the participants in the survey belong to the teenage category. Secondly, the
participants have a history of teenage pregnancies. All the participants have undergone
pregnancy at a young age. Third factor before choosing the participants was that they must
have undergone some sort of academic barrier after pregnancy and childbearing and all the
research participants must come from the African American background. There are 20
research participants are selected from the category of teenagers belonging to the age group
of 13-19 and belong to the African American community. This age group is targeted for the
research because the study here deals with teen pregnancies and therefore the 13-19 age
groups are counted under the teenage. With the research of these participants, it is expected
an overall understanding of the scenario around the crisis can be achieved.

7ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
References
Atkins, D. N., & Wilkins, V. M. (2013). Going beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic: The
effects of teacher representation on teen pregnancy rates. Journal of Public
Administration Research and Theory, 23(4), 771-790.
Barmao-Kiptanui, C., Kindiki, J. N., & Lelan, J. K. (2015). Impact of teenage motherhood on
the academic performance in public primary schools in Bungoma County,
Kenya. International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 7(2),
61-71.
Barr, A. B., Simons, R. L., Simons, L. G., Gibbons, F. X., & Gerrard, M. (2013). Teen
motherhood and pregnancy prototypes: The role of social context in changing young
African American mothers’ risk images and contraceptive expectations. Journal of
youth and adolescence, 42(12), 1884-1897.
Beltz, M. A., Sacks, V. H., Moore, K. A., & Terzian, M. (2015). State policy and teen
childbearing: A review of research studies. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(2), 130-
138.
Boyd-Franklin, N. (2013). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American
experience. Guilford Publications.
Boyd-Franklin, N. (2013). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American
experience. Guilford Publications.
Brody, G. H., Lei, M. K., Chae, D. H., Yu, T., Kogan, S. M., & Beach, S. R. (2014).
Perceived discrimination among African American adolescents and allostatic load: A
longitudinal analysis with buffering effects. Child development, 85(3), 989-1002.
Butler-Barnes, S. T., Chavous, T. M., Hurd, N., & Varner, F. (2013). African American
adolescents’ academic persistence: A strengths-based approach. Journal of youth and
adolescence, 42(9), 1443-1458.
Chamberlain, A. M. (2017). A Delphi Study: Guidelines for Researchers Working with
Teenage Mothers.
Chamberlain, A. M. (2017). A Delphi Study: Guidelines for Researchers Working with
Teenage Mothers.
Chandra-Mouli, V., McCarraher, D. R., Phillips, S. J., Williamson, N. E., & Hainsworth, G.
(2014). Contraception for adolescents in low and middle income countries: needs,
barriers, and access. Reproductive health, 11(1), 1.
Childs, G. D., Knight, C., & White, R. (2015). Never-Pregnant African American Adolescent
Girls' Perceptions of Adolescent Pregnancy. Journal of pediatric nursing, 30(2), 310-
320.
Childs, G. D., Knight, C., & White, R. (2015). Never-Pregnant African American Adolescent
Girls' Perceptions of Adolescent Pregnancy. Journal of pediatric nursing, 30(2), 310-
320.

8ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Christofides, N. J., Jewkes, R. K., Dunkle, K. L., McCarty, F., Shai, N. J., Nduna, M., &
Sterk, C. (2014). Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies
occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African
women. Global health action, 7(1), 23719.
Clarke, J. (2015). It's not all doom and gloom for teenage mothers–exploring the factors that
contribute to positive outcomes. International Journal of Adolescence and
Youth, 20(4), 470-484.
Coyle, K., Basen-Engquist, K., Kirby, D., Parcel, G., Banspach, S., Collins, J., ... & Harrist,
R. (2016). Safer choices: reducing teen pregnancy, HIV, and STDs. Public health
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Edwards, P. A., McMillon, G. T., & Turner, J. D. (2015). Change is gonna come:
Transforming literacy education for African American students. Teachers College
Press.
Erdmans, M. P., & Black, T. (2015). On becoming a teen mom: life before pregnancy. Univ
of California Press.
Gardner III, R., & Mayes, R. D. (2013). African american learners. Preventing School
Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 57(1), 22-29.
Goesling, B., Colman, S., Trenholm, C., Terzian, M., & Moore, K. (2014). Programs to
reduce teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and associated sexual risk
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Haberland, N., & Rogow, D. (2015). Sexuality education: emerging trends in evidence and
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Harris, A. L., Sutherland, M. A., & Hutchinson, M. K. (2013). Parental influences of sexual
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Hernandez, J., & Rabia, H. M. A. (2017). Contributing Factors to Older Teen Mothers’
Academic Success as Very Young Mothers. International Journal of Higher
Education, 6(4), 104.
Killebrew, A. E., Smith, M. L., Nevels, R. M., Weiss, N. H., & Gontkovsky, S. T. (2014).
African-American adolescent females in the southeastern United States: Associations
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Kogan, S. M., Cho, J., Allen, K., Lei, M. K., Beach, S. R., Gibbons, F. X., ... & Brody, G. H.
(2013). Avoiding adolescent pregnancy: A longitudinal analysis of African-American
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Kost, K., & Henshaw, S. (2013). US teenage pregnancies, births and abortions, 2008: State
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BIRTH IN SOUTHERN URBAN COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
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American Studies.

9ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Miller, E., McCauley, H. L., Tancredi, D. J., Decker, M. R., Anderson, H., & Silverman, J. G.
(2014). Recent reproductive coercion and unintended pregnancy among female family
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Muhammad, G. E. (2013). In search for a full vision: Writing representations of African
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Murray, C. C., Hatfield-Timajchy, K., Kraft, J. M., Bergdall, A. R., Habel, M. A., Kottke, M.,
& Diclemente, R. J. (2013). In their own words: romantic relationships and the sexual
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Penman-Aguilar, A., Carter, M., Snead, M. C., & Kourtis, A. P. (2013). Socioeconomic
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pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates across countries: levels and recent trends. Journal
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SmithBattle, L. I. (2013). Reducing the stigmatization of teen mothers. MCN: The American
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Stebleton, M., & Soria, K. (2013). Breaking down barriers: Academic obstacles of first-
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10ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Appendix A: annotated bibliography
Barnes, K. (2013). Psychosocial support for teen mothers.The Journal of Chi Eta Phi
Sorority, 57(1), 5-10.
Teen pregnancy has become a common occurrence in school and healthcare setups.
These young mothers face severe threat of poverty, multiple pregnancies, school dropouts,
health issues and several psychological problems. This article focuses on understanding the
qualitative outcomes of the students and provides recommendations that would prove
effective in promoting a healthy life for these teens.
During the study, researchers recruited seven mothers between the ages of 14-19. The
mothers participated in six sessions within a two-month period. During the teen mothers’
non-instructional time, they completed pretest surveys, participated in semi-structured
interviews, and made journal entries twice each week. Participants were encouraged to
include in their entries any problems or decisions that occurred throughout the week. The
qualitative data were collected by way of the entries, interviews, and surveys. Because of the
study, one of the participants decided to withdraw from the study. The remaining participants
completed at least three of the sessions and four participants did not complete the journaling
sitting time constraints as an issue.
Although the study’s sample size was small and it was a pilot, it yielded research
outcomes of interventions targeted towards teen mothers. The findings in this study were
consistent with findings of other literature as it relates to the psychosocial challenges faced by
teen mothers. The findings also suggest that there are deficits in bringing the services needed
for these mothers. Addressing these mothers’ needs could eliminate health disparities.

11ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Barr, A. & Simons, R. (2013). College aspirations and expectations among new African-
American mothers in late adolescence. Gender & Education, 24(7), 745-763.
doi:10.1080/09540253.2012.712097
For many years, researchers have debated factors that adversely affect the likelihood
that teen mothers will experience success. In the United States, the pregnancy rate among
African American teens is nearly twice than that of Caucasians, and African American
teenage pregnancies are less likely than those of their white counterparts to end in abortion
(AGI 2006; South & Baumer 2001). A plethora of additional literature supports the findings
that adolescent mothers are less likely to graduate high school and further their educational
endeavors when compared to adolescents who do not have children. Most recently,
researchers argue that teen motherhood may have positive implications. During motherhood,
the researchers’ findings serve as a positive turning point in their lives. Pregnancies for teen
mothers sometimes cause the teens to reevaluate their goals and priorities and enhance their
desire to improve their lives. During an examination of the study, the following questions
were generated:
Do structural constraints experienced by young mothers slowly erode expectations?
Do expectations begin to deteriorate immediately upon knowledge of a pregnancy, perhaps
due simply to cultural discourses and the anticipation of future constraints?
This study as part of an ongoing longitudinal research project examines the positive
social and psychological factors of African-American families’ well-being and health. 867
African-American families participated in the study in which their perceptions about college
expectations, college aspirations, and mother status were assessed. The participants were also
provided with a 6-question survey. Based on the review of the literature, a rise in educational
aspirations for teen mothers after the birth of their babies was expected. It was also found that

12ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
the aspirations for both teen mothers and their non-childbearing peers were similar. Further
research is needed to determine processes that eliminate the stigma that teen mothers are
destined for disadvantages.
Clarke, J. (2015). It’s not all doom and gloom for teenage mothers – exploring the
factors that contribute to positive outcomes. International Journal of Adolescence and
Youth, 20(4), 470-484.
Teen mothers face various stereotypes, stigmas and other negative connotations.
Some are excluded socially. In the UK, teen mothers are deemed as problematic and
undesirable. Teens who decide to become mothers at an early age are more likely to rely on
welfare benefits, drop out of school, lack the skills and training necessary in gaining
employment, and live in public housing. According to UK's National Teenage Pregnancy
Strategy: Beyond of 2010, teenage mothers are less likely to finish their education and are
more likely to bring up their child alone in poverty. Children of teenage mothers are generally
at an increased risk of poverty, low educational attainment, poor housing and health, and
have lower rates of economic activity in adult life.
This biographical qualitative study was used to explore factors that contributed to
positive outcomes for teenage mothers including the mothers’ desire to succeed and be role
models for their children. This type of study was implemented to gain a better understanding
of the participants’ perception of resiliency and their experiences throughout life. The
participants were selected through opportunistic sampling. The participants also had to be
between the ages of 24 and 54, had to have given birth during their teenage years, and whom
all had positive outcomes, contrary to the outcomes described in the literature. Semi-
structured interviews were conducted and recorded.

13ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
Some of the adverse outcomes noted from the participants included sexual abuse,
abuse from putative fathers, neglect, and loss whereas factors with positive incomes included
supportive relationships with teachers, schools, and parents, parental values and expectations,
as well as their rejection of stereotypical labels and stereotypes. It was also found that despite
adversities associated with being a teen mother in the UK, the participants used in this study
provides a glimmer of hope that a teen is not necessarily doomed because of the pregnancy.
Compliant with other studies (Duncan, 2010; Seamark&Lings,2004) the findings from this
study would suggest that it is not the early pregnancy itself that is an adverse occurrence, but
rather the responses to the pregnancy.
Hernandez, J., & Rabia, H. (2017). Contributing factors to older teen mothers’
academic success as very young mothers. International Journal of Higher Education,
6(4), 104-110. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v6n4p104
Teenage pregnancy is believed to be a generational problem that has plagued society
for many years. Besides being young and immature, teen mothers also face an array of other
hindrances and barriers. Having to transition into adulthood at an accelerated pace, repeat
pregnancies, and adverse outcomes for children of teen mothers all play an integral role when
deciding to parent at a young age. Becoming a teen parent also increases young women’s risk
of academic dropout, it decreases their educational attainment, and it limits their development
of employment skills (Hoffman and Maynard 2008). Often, schools label these mothers as
the “problem population’ because they are at a higher risk of dropping out of school without
any prospects of gainful employment. In trying to combat such problem, National efforts
have been put in place, which has proven to be effective in helping to decrease the incidences
of teen pregnancies. Despite the decrease in teen birthing rates, 275,000 babies were born to
adolescent mothers in the United States in 2013. This study was conducted to explore various
factors that have proven detrimental in the academic success of teen mothers. It was also

14ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
guided by the Family Stress Model (FSM), which was used to examine the mother’s
perceptions as it relates to stressors as well as their ability to cope with the stressors. In this
qualitative research study, the researchers focused on 13 mothers who were of African and
Mexican descent. All participants were mothers by the age of 16 or younger, and they all
provided care for their children as they pursued college degrees. Researchers also employed
the use of one-on-one interviews to document the teen mother’s experiences as well the
factors they believed played an integral role in aiding them in becoming academically
successful.
According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
(NCPTUP) in 2011, approximately $10.9 billion was spent nationally on teen pregnancy-
related programs that were introduced into schools and healthcare facilities. These programs
were geared towards student retention, school completion, and childcare. Childbirth
preparation, health care, and preventative measures were additional programs that were also
implement to deter and possibly eliminate teen pregnancies. Despite the various programs
and supports, the life of a teen mother is still complicated.
Although the literature provides a wealth of relevant information that examines
potential barriers teen mothers face as well as the supports that assist them in becoming
successfully, further research is needed to determine holistic services that will help these
mothers effectively deal with everyday challenges and stressors.
Kiptanui., C. Kindiki, J. N., & Lelan, J. (2014). Impact of teenage motherhood on the
academic performance in public primary schools in Bungoma County, Kenya.
International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 7(2), 61-71.
Teenage pregnancy is a phenomenon that not only affects the educational success of
teens in the United States but also teens in developing countries. Education plays a pivotal

15ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
role in the social and economic development of any country in enhancing the quality of lives
of its citizens (UNESCO, 2010). Teenagers who become pregnant are often stigmatized,
labeled and in some instances isolated from their peers. They are also at a greater risk of
dropping out of school, relying on government assistance, and having health disparities.
Many of the teens in developing countries who become pregnant cannot afford the
opportunity to participate in education. For those that are, it is often hard for them to re-enter
school after giving birth. Humiliation, lack of support, and
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact, if any that motherhood has on
the academic performance of teenagers. This study implemented the use of three samplings;
stratified, simple random, and purposive. The participants/samples consisted of 35 teenage
mothers and three head teachers. Both the teenage mothers and the teachers were from
Kisoro, a public-school division in Africa. Data was collected through closed-ended
interviews and questionnaires. It was found that becoming a teenage mother leads to poor
academic performance and is the major impediments to academic success. Findings also
suggest that education helps to raise the teen’s self-esteem, prepares her for employment, and
helps her become a productive member of society. Supporting teen mothers was also found to
help mothers reach their goals.
Historically, the topic of teenage pregnancy has been debated for years. An abundance of
literature and research has been conducted to support the findings that teens who decide to
parent at a young age must rely on government subsidies, are unemployable, are more likely
to drop out of school, and have poor health; which are all commonalities among researcher.
Teen mothers are not on a level-playing field as their non-parent peers. They do not wake up
and decide suddenly that they want to become parents. These mothers often live in poverty-
stricken neighborhoods, attend low performing schools, and are raised in single-parent
homes. They are products of their environment. They believe that because of their

16ACADEMIC BARRIER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEEN MOTHERS
circumstances they have no hope of completing high school, attending college or even
gaining career-ready skills that are necessary for obtaining employment. Although many of
them want to be successful, their futures look dim. Living in a technological society where
social media and television programming that glorify teen pregnancies also plays a role when
teens decide to become parents. All the information from the above bibliographies can be
easily implemented into my research as all of them provide suggestions on how to remove
barriers for teen mothers to help them become academically successful.