Mothers' differential treatment of their adolescent childbearing and nonchildbearing children: contrasts between and within families

J Fam Psychol. 2003 Sep;17(3):384-96. doi: 10.1037/0893-3200.17.3.384.

Abstract

This study examined mothers' differential treatment of adolescent sibling pairs in 2 family contexts: families with and without an adolescent childbearing daughter. Results based on mothers' ratings and children's ratings revealed that the mothers of childbearing daughters treated all of their children less affectionately than did the mothers of nonchildbearing adolescents. In families with a childbearing daughter, mothers expected a brighter future for and treated their never-pregnant daughter(s) more favorably than their childbearing daughter, and mothers' harsh treatment toward their children was correlated with high financial stress, excessive time spent caring for their daughter's child, and younger children's sexual behavior and drug and alcohol use. Findings highlight the preferential parenting that occurs within the families of childbearing teens and suggest its ramifications.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / ethnology
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Black or African American / psychology
  • Family / psychology*
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mother-Child Relations / ethnology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / ethnology*
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence / psychology*
  • Siblings / ethnology
  • Siblings / psychology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / ethnology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology