FACTORS DISCRIMINATING PREGNANCY RESOLUTION DECISIONS OF UNMARRIED ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Pregnancy resolution decisions of unmarried adolescents were studied with the use of an expected utility decision model that included psychological, background and economic variables. Discriminant function analysis of the decision to have an abortion or to deliver the child indicated that psychological, background and economic variables each made significant contributions to the successful classification of teenagers (.apprx. 87.5% of the women were classified correctly). A 4-item Abortion Approval Index, the women''s perception of the prospective fathers'' abortion opinion, personal knowledge of other unmarried teenagers who delivered, self-reported grade average and receipt of state financial aid in the form of AFDC [Aid for Dependent Children] or Medicaid payments were the most powerful discriminators. For adolescents who chose to deliver, a 2nd discriminant function indicated that only 1 economic factor, receipt of state financial aid, successfully discriminated those who married from those who became single mothers (.apprx. 72% of the women were classified correctly). Results are discussed in terms of possible decision strategies and sequences used by adolescents and the value of using a decision framework that incorporates psychological, background and economic factors.