Predictors of risk for adolescent childbearing.

The purpose of this research was to develop a predictive model that identifies young women at risk for adolescent motherhood. A stratified sample of 357 adolescents was drawn from public health units and public schools in six randomly selected counties in North Central Florida. Data were collected regarding the environmental context (social and family), individual perceptions of self and trajectory, and adolescent motherhood status. A stepwise logistic regression was used to investigate the combined effects of these variables for identification of risk for adolescent motherhood. Using the combination of these variables, practitioners can identify adolescents at highest risk for early motherhood (97.66%) and those with the least risk of adolescent motherhood (approximately 1%). Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company