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Parental notification in cases of adolescent abortion: Parental consultation and the effects of parental influence upon adolescents' pregnancy decisions
Abstract
State legislatures and state and federal courts have determined the extent to which minors in many jurisdictions may or may not independently consent to have an abortion. This investigation examined several assumptions made by law makers and courts regarding consultation patterns of adolescents and the effects of parental influence upon pregnancy decisions. Ninety adolescent females and young women between the ages of 15 and 25 who visited a clinic for contraceptives or pregnancy testing completed a brief questionnaire. Participants read several vignettes about girls/young women their age who were facing decisions regarding pregnancy resolution and about donating a kidney. The amount and direction of parental influence was varied in each vignette. Participants indicated whom they had consulted about their clinic visit and whom they would consult about the pregnancy and kidney donation decisions. Further, they indicated what decision they would make. Results confirm those of others who have found that adolescents consult both parents and peers extensively about decisions. However, the extent to which adolescents and young adults consult these and other individuals generally depended upon the type of decision and the age of the participant. No age differences were observed in participants' consultation of parents about the hypothetical pregnancy decision. Parental influence had significantly different effects upon decision making about pregnancy resolution versus kidney donation decisions. Decisions were not significantly affected by the amount of parental influence presented. For the pregnancy dilemmas, parental influence affected the decisions of young adolescent and young adult participants but not the decisions of older adolescents. For young adolescents, parental influence (regardless of direction) resulted in greater compliance with parents' wishes. For young adults, parental influence to carry the baby to term resulted in greater compliance with parents. No age differences were observed in the degree to which participants were affected by parental influence regarding the kidney donation dilemma. Policy implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research are proposed.
Subject Area
Developmental psychology
Recommended Citation
Limber, Susan Philips, "Parental notification in cases of adolescent abortion: Parental consultation and the effects of parental influence upon adolescents' pregnancy decisions" (1992). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9314413.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9314413