"Parenting" Teenage Parents: A Clinician's Notes.

This article describes the practical application of research findings from two studies of adolescent parents, both reported in the same issue of Family Relations. The studies identified factors that influence competent parenting among teenagers and examined how those qualities can be enhanced. Self-esteem, scholastic achievement, and commitment to the child were the most significant variables contributing to competent parenting. Practitioners should focus on increasing the adolescent parent's support network and use peer influence to promote socially responsible parenting. Practitioners should also seek to increase the teenager's motivation for involvement, especially among teen fathers. Further research is needed to clarify the developmental and motivational aspects of adolescent parenting. 20 references.