Young, Poor, and Pregnant: The Psychology of Teenage Motherhood (Paperback)

by Dr. Judith S. Musick (Author) "This book emerged from two separate but related sources..." (more)
Key Phrases: Ounce of Prevention Fund, Project Match, Developmental Program (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Drawing from the diaries of teenage mothers, psychologist Musick explains how societal pressures and poverty contribute to early pregnancy.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
In this book, an expert on adolescent pregnancy discusses how psychological pressures of adolescence interact with the problems of poverty to create a situation in which early sexuality, pregnancy, and childbearing seem almost inevitable. Drawing on her experience as founding director of one of the nation`s largest and most successful programs for teenage mothers, Judith Musick recommends strategies for intervention programs that will help promote the developmental, psychological, and environmental conditions necessary for teenage mothers to change their lives.

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (February 22, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300061951
• ISBN-13: 978-0300061956
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #494,101 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!, February 28, 1999

By A Customer

This is the best book I have read on the subject of teen pregnancy. It discusses more than contraceptives, but also analyzes the reasons teens initially get pregnant and will continue to have babies if their developmental issues are not resolved. The author is extremely insightful regarding what is needed in programs that are trying to prevent second pregnancies. She goes into great detail about the dynamics involved in the families' of teen parents. Before any program is implemented for teen mothers, reading this book should be a prerequisite. I can not emphasize this enough. Ms. Musick has answered most of the questions that I had regarding teen pregnancy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Media myths bye-bye, August 12, 2003

By	Brendan Perez (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book quickly disposes of the stereotype of the pregnant teenager, that way solely because of her (presumed) "immaturity". It also shows (or reminds) us that "teen" pregnancies usually involve "men" over 18 and well into their 20s.

The book also shows that "teen" (read above) pregnancies are not as evenly spread throughout society as many would like to believe. Socioeconomic standing, race, family structure, and sexual/physical/emotional abuse all factor into "teen" pregnancies.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Walk the Walk, or Read This Book, February 4, 2002

By	Edward Cichowicz MD (San Juan, PR USA) - See all my reviews

If you're public health professional, a teacher, a social worker, or even a politician, dealing with teen pregnancy at any level, you don't really understand what's going on, unless you've walked the walk, or read Kristin Luker's Dubious Conceptions, Judith Musick's Young, Poor and Pregnant, or Norine Johnson et al's (Eds.) Beyond Appearance: A New Look at Adolescent Girls. If you haven't been in their (adolescent mothers') shoes, but you have the social conscience and sense of social justice to want to help these kids, these three works are, in my view, indispensible reading. If you depend on organizations like The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy for your good ideas, you have really been missing the boat. Come down to earth and discover their real world.