The art of social support group intervention with single adolescent mothers

Abstract

A review of the literature suggests that social support systems assist an individual to adapt to major life changes, such as parenting. Social support can positively affect parental behavior by increas ng knowledge, promoting maternal self-esteem, reducing stress and providing practical assistance. The overall goal of the practicum was to implement a social support group intervention with single adolescent mothers. Two 8-session long groups were designed. The focus of the groups was to empower, educate, connect, network, and provide support to teen mothers. Intervention methods included network mapping, education on the role of social support, journal writing, and skill building. The evaluation instruments utilized to assess change were the Perceived Social Support Friend/Family Scales and the Social Support Appraisals Scale. The findings did not indicate statistical significance per se, however, some clinically significant changes were identified. The feedback from the teen mothers indicated groups provided them with the knowledge and support to enhance their ability to choose options that could improve the quality and quantity of the relationships in their lives. Consequently, social support group intervention was found to be most beneficial in assisting single adolescent mothers in their adaptation to parenthood.