Mother/Pregnant Teen Communication and Depression

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究的目的是研究母亲和青少年沟通在使用洛杉矶县妇女、婴儿和儿童(WIC)营养和健康计划的低收入墨西哥裔美国怀孕青少年轻松过渡到为人父母的过程中所起的作用。尽管墨西哥裔美国青少年怀孕的风险最大，但关于这些家庭如何讨论怀孕问题，以及与母亲的沟通是否在青少年产后适应中起到保护作用的研究相对较少。有证据表明，与母亲建立支持和开放的关系有助于青少年的养育和适应，而对沟通的观察有助于进一步阐明这种关系。这项拟议的研究将检验观察到的母亲-青少年沟通(关于性和怀孕的讨论)，因为它预测青少年抑郁、育儿信念、参与育儿和负责任的性行为。对话将根据母亲的沟通方式和对话的内容进行编码。怀孕的青少年及其母亲将在产前接受评估，然后在分娩后三个月再进行评估。这项研究将特别关注文化背景和文化适应的作用，因为它可能会影响家庭就敏感问题进行沟通的方式，也可能与我们青少年的结果有一定的关系。还将研究青少年自主性和母亲的社会支持的调节作用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of the study is to examine the role of mother-adolescent communication in easing the transition to parenthood for low-income pregnant Mexican American adolescents who utilize the Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition and health program in Los Angeles County. Despite the fact that Mexican American adolescents are at greatest risk for teen pregnancy, there is relatively little research on the ways in which these families discuss the issues surrounding pregnancy and whether or not communication with mothers serves as a protective factor in the postpartum adjustment of the adolescent. There is evidence to suggest that a supportive and open relationship with mothers can be helpful to adolescents in terms of their parenting and their adjustment, and observations of communication can help to further elucidate this relation. The proposed study will examine observed mother-adolescent communication (discussions about sex and the pregnancy) as it predicts adolescent depression, parenting beliefs, involvement in parenting, and responsible sexual behavior. Conversations will be coded for maternal communication style and the content of the conversations. Pregnant adolescents and their mothers will be assessed prenatally and then again three months after giving birth. The study will pay particular attention to the cultural context and the role of acculturation, as it is likely to affect the ways in which families communicate about sensitive issues and may also have some relationship to our adolescent outcomes. The moderating role of adolescent autonomy and social support from mothers will be also examined.