Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 16, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 321-325

Dual vulnerability of being both A teen and an immigrant parent: Illustrations from an Italian context (Article)

Riccio G. , Baumgartner E. , Bohr Y. , Kanter D. , Laghi F.*
  • a Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
  • b Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
  • c Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • d Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada
  • e Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185 Rome, Italy

Abstract

Italy has experienced a recent surge in immigration, which has led to an increase in the country's birth rate. Many immigrant mothers are adolescent parents. 30 adolescent mothers (17 recent immigrants and 13 adolescents of Italian descent) completed measures of adolescent self-development and motherhood, perceived availability and satisfaction with social support, and emotional and behavioral characteristic of their children. Findings suggest that immigrant teen mothers show more difficulties related to parenting than do Italian born teen mothers. In particular, immigrant teen mothers report lower levels of social support satisfaction and availability, higher levels of parent-child dysfunction, and experience motherhood and child behavior as more problematic. The findings highlight and confirm the need for well-designed, specific supportive services for adolescent immigrant mothers. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Teen pregnancy Immigration Social support risk factors

Index Keywords

Vulnerable Populations vulnerable population human Mother-Child Relations social support interview Humans migrant psychology Adolescent Interviews as Topic Emigrants and Immigrants female risk factor Risk Factors pregnancy Mothers Pregnancy in Adolescence adolescent pregnancy mother Italy mother child relation
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84896391407&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-012-9726-z&partnerID=40&md5=27a50c1b1eeb9a77194787802e72a2ca
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-012-9726-z
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English