Longitudinal study on self‐esteem among recently pregnant Brazilian adolescents

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with low self‐esteem among recently pregnant adolescents. Methods: A three months longitudinal study of 202 recently pregnant adolescents, aged 14–19 years, was undertaken in 2006. Results: From baseline to follow‐up, the median of self‐esteem increased from 10 to 15 points and mean increased from 10.2 (SD = 2.94) to 16.0 (SD = 2.53). The paired t‐test showed a significant difference between the means (p < 0.001). Recently pregnant adolescents who were attending school and living with their partner were more likely to have high self‐esteem at follow‐up (p = 0.001; p = 0.024, respectively). The findings suggest that adolescents who were experiencing a first pregnancy may have low self‐esteem, compared with those who felt that the birth had a positive impact on their relationship with their families. Conclusion: The findings indicate the importance of familial support for pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers. Encouraging adolescents to remain in school or return to school could lead to higher self‐esteem and better long‐term outcomes for the adolescent mothers and their children. A larger‐scale study, with longer‐term follow‐up, could facilitate further exploration of the factors involved in positive outcomes.