Questions that apply to all articles

What are the major risk and protective factors linked to teen pregnancy?

How would you contrast a healthy pregnancy verses an at risk pregnancy?

Gassanov, M. A., Nicholson, L. M., & Koch-Turner, A. (2008). Expectations to Marry Among American Youth: The Effects of Unwed Fertility, Economic Activity, and Cohabitation. Youth & Society. 40(2): 265–288.

Since welfare reform in 1996, marriage has been promoted as a means to reduce welfare dependency and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Despite extensive public and academic discourse surrounding marriage promotion, a basic factor preceding and predicting marriage—expectations to marry—has received little attention. Using insights from the life course perspective and data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we explore the relationship between out-of-wedlock fertility and youths' expectations to marry within 5 years. We also consider the effect of economic activity (school and work) and cohabitation. We find that experiencing an unwed pregnancy or birth significantly increases youths' expectations to marry, as does being employed, out of school, and in a cohabiting relationship.

• What socio-economic factors increase youths’ expectations to marry? Can you think of someone you know who is an example of this?

Pratt, T. C., McGloin, J. M., Fearn, N. E. (2006). Maternal Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy and Criminal/Deviant Behavior: A Meta-Analysis.  International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 50(6): 672–690.

A growing body of empirical literature has emerged examining the somewhat inconsistent relationship between maternal cigarette smoking (MCS) during pregnancy and children’s subsequent antisocial behavior. To systematically assess what existing studies reveal regarding MCS as a criminogenic risk factor for offspring, the authors subjected this body of literature to a meta-analysis. The analysis reveals a statistically significant—yet rather small—overall mean “effect size” of the relationship between MCS and the likelihood children will engage in deviant/criminal behavior. In addition to being rather moderate in size, the MCS-crime/deviance relationship is sensitive to a number of methodological specifications across empirical studies—particularly those associated with sample characteristics. The implications of this modest, and somewhat unstable, relationship are discussed in terms of guidelines for future research on this subject and how existing theoretical perspectives may be integrated to explain the MCS-crime/deviance link.

• What influence does cigarette smoking have on childhood behaviors?

Perrin. E. C., Siegel, B. S., & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2013). Promoting the Well-Being of Children Whose Parents are Gay or Lesbian. Pediatrics. 131(4): e1374-e1383

Extensive data available from more than 30 years of research reveal that children raised by gay and lesbian parents have demonstrated resilience with regard to social, psychological, and sexual health despite economic and legal disparities and social stigma. Many studies have demonstrated that children’s well-being is affected much more by their relationships with their parents, their parents’ sense of competence and security, and the presence of social and economic support for the family than by the gender or the sexual orientation of their parents. Lack of opportunity for same-gender couples to marry adds to family stress, which affects the health and welfare of all household members. Because marriage strengthens families and, in so doing, benefits children’s development, children should not be deprived of the opportunity for their parents to be married. Paths to parenthood that include assisted reproductive techniques, adoption, and foster parenting should focus on competency of the parents rather than their sexual orientation.

• What are unique conception, pregnancy, and childbirth experiences gay or lesbian couples might have that are different from heterosexual couples?