Trauma exposure and adolescent attitudes toward having a baby: An exploratory survey

• Published in: Contraception: X 2021-01, Vol.3, p.100058-100058, Article 100058
• Main Authors: Shreffler, Karina M., Tiemeyer, Stacy, Cox, Ronald B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adverse Childhood Experiences; Teen pregnancy; Trauma
• ISSN: 2590-1516; 2590-1516
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conx.2021.100058

To examine the association between childhood trauma exposure (i.e., extent of interpersonal trauma experienced in childhood) and attitudes toward teen parenthood. We used a cross-sectional sample of 416 urban middle and high school male and female students from Tulsa, OK recruited through a local public school district mailing list. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to examine odds of reporting having a baby would make life worse, better, or cause no change according to childhood trauma score. Approximately 8% of students and their guardians responded to the mailed survey invitation. Among the students, 67% reported having a baby would make their lives worse; 17% reported it would not change their lives much, and 16% reported having a baby would make their lives better. Each increase in trauma score was associated with a 9% increase in reporting an indifferent attitude (p < 0.001) and a 15% increase in reporting a positive attitude toward having a baby (p < 0.01). After controlling for a wide range of sociodemographic, attitudinal, and sexual history variables, childhood trauma remained associated with a positive attitude toward having a baby (p