Exploring Social Supports
Support systems are important to successful outcomes for teens. Teens tend to have unrealistic views about how much help and support they will get from the baby’s father, extended family, friends, and the welfare system. Inquiring about a teen’s social support system can identify if there is a need for additional supports. Teens can be asked who knows about the pregnancy, what the reactions have been, and whom they may tell in the future.
Here are some additional points to consider about exploring social supports:
▶ Knowing the teen’s social dynamic can reveal whether she is at risk of coercion from the father or from other family members or friends.
▶ Adolescents should be asked whether their parents have been informed.
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- The heath care professional can assist the teen in determining how and when she will tell her parent/guardian about the pregnancy if she desires to inform them.
- Role-playing may be a useful tool to help the adolescent prepare for disclosing her pregnancy.
- The heath care professional should assess whether the teen will be safe following disclosure and, if not, refer her to social work for assistance.
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▶ It should be clear to the teen that, although others may be affected, it is her choice to make, and she should not be forced into a decision.
References:
Moriarty Daley, A., Sadler, L. S., & Dawn Reynolds, H. (2013). Tailoring clinical services to address the unique needs of adolescents from the pregnancy test to parenthood. Current problems in pediatric and adolescent health care, 43(4), 71–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2013.01.001
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3624884/pdf/nihms449309.pdf
Moss D. A. (2015). Counseling patients with unintended pregnancy. American family physician, 91(8), 574–576.