Substance-Using Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Girls: Considerations for Preventive Intervention Using a Resilience Lens

Abstract

Evidence is needed to develop substance use prevention programs addressing the needs of adolescent mothers, yet there remains a paucity of research examining the lived experience and context of substance use among adolescent girls who report the use of substances while pregnant and parenting. This mixed-method research considers substance use and pregnancy simultaneously rather than as separate issues and suggests how findings might inform preventive intervention programming using a lens of resilience theory. Participants were pregnant and parenting adolescent girls in Grades 8 to 12 who reported the use of substances while pregnant or parenting. Fourteen participants completed an interview describing their experience of pregnancy and motherhood and the context of their substance use. Thirty-three participants completed an adapted American Drug and Alcohol Survey describing their substance use. Findings suggest potential strengths and vulnerabilities that could be addressed in preventive intervention approaches for this distinct population of girls.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescent pregnancy
• intervention
• prevention
• resilience
• substance use