Review articleAdolescent Men's Attitudes in Relation to Pregnancy and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review of the Literature From 1980–2009
Section snippets
Method
Figure 1 outlines our electronic search strategy for the period 1980 to 2009. Searches using keywords (see Figure 1) and MeSH terms, where possible, yielded a total of 1160 papers, the examination of which resulted in the elimination of 495 on the basis of our a priori inclusion or exclusion criteria (see also Figure 2 for a sample keyword search).
The primary inclusion criteria were as follows:
- •
Papers pertaining to adolescent men aged between 10 and 24 years (this age range represents the outer
What are Adolescent Men's Attitudes to an Adolescent Pregnancy?
Our review of the literature encompassing this point [5], [17], [19], [21], [41], [44], [60], [62], [63], [67] suggests that adolescent men view an unintended pregnancy during their teenage years as a negative event because of the adverse effect having a baby will have on their future aspirations and life goals, as well as on current freedoms. Only a minority of men across these studies expressed ambivalence or positive feelings in relation to an adolescent pregnancy [17], [24], [31], [44], [58]
What are Adolescent Men's Attitudes in Relation to Pregnancy Outcomes?
We deal with this larger question by first looking at adolescent men's views on pregnancy outcome decisions in three different sets of studies, general attitude surveys, quantitative studies using a vignette methodology, and qualitative studies. Second, we explore adolescent men's views on the right to be involved in decision-making and their experience of being involved in the decision-making process. In addressing both of these questions, the reader will note that the overwhelming focus of
Explanations of trends in attitudes to adolescent pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes
We now review the evidence for the explanations of adolescent men's attitudes to pregnancy occurrence and pregnancy outcome choices. The dominant explanatory model emerging from the literature is a social-environmental model incorporating both social context variables and individual psychological variables. A minority of the studies draw on social cognitive models of behavior and specifically Theory of Planned Behavior [68], [69], [70], [71], [72] which measures normative beliefs and subjective
Discussion—Implications for future research
Research syntheses perform an essential role in disseminating research knowledge and in shaping further research, policy practice, and public perception [87]. This is the first systematic review which specifically explores adolescent men's attitudes to an unplanned pregnancy and their attitudes in relation to pregnancy decision-making. We have addressed three specific questions: What are adolescent men's attitudes to an adolescent pregnancy? What are adolescent men's attitudes and
Acknowledgments
Funding for this study was obtained from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (Ireland). The paper represents the views of the authors and not that of the funding organization. The authors are grateful to Colin Shaw for editorial assistance.
Drs Lohan and Cruise conducted the literature search and literature analysis and drafted the paper. Drs O'Halloran, Alderdice and Hyde offered advice on the systematic review methodology and contributed to writing the manuscript.
References (88)
- et al.
Reasons for induced abortion and their relation to women's emotional distress: A prospective, two-year follow-up study
Gen Hosp Psychiatry
(2005) - et al.
Men's influences on women's reproductive health: Medical anthropological perspectives
Soc Sci Med
(2004) - et al.
Adolescence and abortion in Greece: Women's profile and perceptions
J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol
(2004) - et al.
Social support, relationship quality, and well-being among pregnant adolescents
J Adolesc
(1999) - et al.
Changing behavioral risk for pregnancy among high school students in the United States, 1991-2007
J Adolesc Health
(2009) - et al.
Behavioral interventions to reduce incidence of HIV, STD, and pregnancy among adolescents: A decade in review
J Adolesc Health
(2004) - et al.
Sex in Australia: Attitudes towards sex in a representative sample of adults
Aust N Z J Public Health
(2003) - et al.
Sexual behaviour in Britain: Early heterosexual experience
Lancet
(2001) - et al.
Factors that adolescent males take into account in decisions about an unplanned pregnancy
J Adolesc
(2009) - et al.
College students' attitudes toward abortion and commitment to the issue
Soc Sci J
(2000)