Relationship among Teenage Pregnancy and High School Dropout

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy is viewed as one of the major challenges to American society. Teenage is generally conceptualized as the developmental period ranging from 13 to 19 years of age. Approximately 25% of sexually active individuals in the United States are teenagers. As said by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) (2004), most teenagers become sexually active by their late teens. Sexual activity during this developmental time is linked to a number of risks; one of the most far-reaching is teen pregnancy. The context of teenage sexuality has changed (Kirby 12). In 1950, the median age at marriage for women was 20, so a considerable proportion of teenage sex occurred within the confines of marriage. Today, the average age at marriage is 25.5 for women; as a result, most teenage sex occurs outside of marriage. This paper discusses relationship between teenage pregnancy and high school dropout.

Discussion and Analysis

The context of teenage sexuality has changed. In 1950, the median age at marriage for women was 20, so a considerable proportion of teenage sex occurred within the confines of marriage. Today, the average age at marriage is 25.5 for women; as a result, most teenage sex occurs outside of marriage.

In spite of the media and public concerns, there has been a slight decline in the proportion of teens who report that they have had sexual intercourse. In 1995, 53 percent of high school students reported having had sex, and in 2005, 47 percent did so(Moore, Rosenthal 41). Thus, a considerable proportion of teenagers have not had sexual intercourse prior to graduation. Further, most teens did not recently have sex; only about one third of high school students report having had sexual intercourse in the last 3 months. When studying the sexual behavior of Teenagers, it is important to consider their specific ages because the proportion of sexually active youth increases by age, suggesting an important developmental trend. For example, according to the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, 13 percent of 15-year-olds have had sexual intercourse, but about half of 18-year-olds and 70 percent of 19-year-olds report ever having had sexual intercourse.

Decisions about initiating sexual intercourse include a range of motivations, such as social factors including parental or peer approval/ disapproval, opportunities for sexual activity, romantic relationship dynamics, religious beliefs, and perceptions of health beliefs and pregnancy risks(Cleveland 81). Recent longitudinal analyses, which have included all of these factors, suggest that peer social network behavior and relationship dynamics— being in love, religious beliefs, and opportunity— are significantly related to whether teens initiate sex. Furthermore, situational context factors such as alcohol and drug use have been found to influence sexual initiation. Some research focuses on the voluntary nature of sexual activity and finds that alcohol and drugs are tied to regrettable or involuntary sexual experiences. Thus, the decision to initiate sexual activity is complex and involves multiple perceptual, social, and interactional domains.

Significant research consideration has been focused on the age in which teens first engage in sexual ...