A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
CAREER READINESS OF TEENAGE PARENTS AND ITS RELATION TO IDENTITY FORMATION
Kathleen White Taylor, Ed. D.
May 1998

RETURN
edited 01/11/01

 


ABSTRACT

An adolescent is challenged by the age-appropriate developmental task of forming an identity. Erikson, a leader in psychosocial theory, considered identity formation as the pivotal issue for an adolescent who is making a transition from childhood to adulthood. However, resolving the developmental task of forming an identity may become complicated with an abrupt transition to parenthood. The simultaneous position of being both an adolescent and a parent may result in a developmental crisis for a teenager. Therefore, a teenage parent may have difficulty in forming a stable identity.

The purpose of this study was to determine the teenage mothers' and the teenage fathers' identity formation status, which was revealed from answering several research questions. The data from the first question ascertained if the teenage parents had resolved the developmental tasks from the first through sixth psychosocial life stages. Another question answered was the degree to which the teenage parents had mastered the identity formation task of choosing a career. The last question focused on the similarities and the differences in the factors that affect the identity structures of the teenage mothers and the teenage fathers. .

A critical review of the literature, pertinent to these general questions, revealed four relevant themes. The first theme explored Erikson's psychosocial theory that marked the stage of adolescence as making the critical shift from identification with significant others to an active process of forming a self-identity. This theory also had implications for viii understanding career development, which are examined in the second theme. One facet of career development is making a commitment to a career and this task is one that an adolescent should resolve when forming an identity. Therefore, this career decisionmaking process is reviewed in the third theme. Finally, the developmental issues for the teenage parents along with the demographic data for both the teenage mothers and the teenage fathers are provided in the fourth theme.

The interrelationship of these themes served as a guide in the analytical investigation phase of this study. This investigation involved two analytical strategies, qualitative and quantitative. A qualitative strategy of an interview was used to collect demographic data from each of the ten teenage mothers and the ten teenage fathers, who lived in Norristown, Pennsylvania. In addition, a semi-structured interview was utilized in assessing the teenage parents' resolution status in relation to the first through the sixth psychosocial development life stages. Another interview determined the extent to which these parents were engaged in the process of making career decisions. Making a commitment to a career was examined through the quantitative strategy of a scaled instrument, the Career Decision Scale.

The results of this study revealed that these teenage parents had confused identities and had not made firm career decisions. Based upon these results, a broad outline is provided for educators and counselors to follow when designing and implementing career developmental programs. Believing one has a bright future in a career may redirect an adolescent from taking a premature path to parenthood.

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