Peer support and the self-identity of the unmarried mother : a study of the influence of the support of the friendship group on the self-identity of the adolescent unmarried mother

Abstract

This study was part of a joint study, undertaken by three students of the 1969 class of the Maritime School of Social Work, to determine the nature of the self-identity of the adolescent unmarried mother. This individual thesis is concerned with the influence of the support and non-support of the friendship group on the nature of the self-identity during pregnancy. During the period from December 17, 1968 to January 17, 1969, fifteen cases were selected from the adolescent unmarried mothers who were attending the Pre-Natal Clinic at the Grace Maternity Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A semi-structured interview with the use of a questionnaire was the method by which data were collected. Coding methods were designed for the analyses of data and a 2x2 contingency table was used to demonstrate the possible correlation. In this study, it was found that sixty percent of the respondents had a positive self-identity and a supportive friendship group while forty percent of the girls had a negative self-identity and a non-supportive friendship group. Since the correlation was very weak, given the small size of the sample, the results therefore were inconclusive. Further examination of the data showed that parental and religious support was present to some degree which may possibly have affected the nature of the self-identity. The age of the unmarried mother was also seen to have influenced the self-identity. This study recommended that further research be carried out in this area.