Perceived social support, self esteem, and pregnancy status among Dominican adolescents

Adolescent pregnancy is a major health concern among Dominicans in the U.S. and in the Dominican Republic (DR). Twenty three percent of adolescents age 15-19 have experienced pregnancy and this trend is rising. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and compare social support, self-esteem and pregnancy between Dominican adolescents in the DR with those who have immigrated to the U.S. Methods: This study used an exploratory, descriptive design including study samples from both the U.S. and DR Findings showed that young women with stronger social support and higher self esteem experienced lower pregnancy rates in both the DR and U.S. samples. Results: Neither self esteem nor social support was found to be predictors of pregnancy. Conclusion: Important findings from this study will inform the development of interventions aimed at preventing pregnancy in adolescents. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.