Teen parents and poverty

Poverty considerably heightens family stress and increases the risk of social and emotional problems in children. Because poverty can be even more damaging during the early years, it is important to understand these living conditions and associated factors in order to mitigate the effects. Many expectant and new mothers have low family incomes. Their children tend to display more behavioural problems and less prosocial behaviour than children born to mothers with higher family incomes.

Living in poverty can have a number of negative effects on a teen's life. Issues such as low parental monitoring, living in high crime neighborhoods, witnessing violence in the home and lack of financial stability can contribute to teen problems. While some do come out of the experience well-adjusted and go on to succeed in life, others do not. Understanding how the factors associated with poverty can affect the lifestyle of teens can help limit their effects.

Log in to your account or register to access your free learner's portfolio! Learn more about portfolios Register for a free account Privacy policy. Throughout the developed world, teenage pregnancy is more common among young people who have been disadvantaged in childhood and have low expectations of education or the job market. The literature shows that youth living in poverty have a teen pregnancy rate which is five times the average [1]. Socio-economic circumstances seem to play a major role in rates of teen pregnancy.

What causes some adolescents to thrive while other teenagers struggle with substance abuse and mental health? Through years of research, the scientists who study development and the clinicians who treat troubled teenagers have developed a list of risk factors that predict the problems faced by adolescents. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an influential philanthropic organization that focuses on health, recently published a report on adolescent wellness that prioritized risk factors for adolescents. The top three -- poverty, racism and discrimination -- have been on the list for many years, but the report included a new factor: ongoing pressures to excel that occur in high-achieving schools in mostly affluent communities. Although attending a high-achieving school might not seem as risky as living in poverty or facing racism or discrimination, decades of research has shown that in fact it is.