Risk for Teen Fatherhood among a Diverse Sample of High School Students
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the risk and protective factors associated with teen fatherhood. Methods: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed. Several risk and protective factors were selected to investigate their association with risk of teen fatherhood. Mean scores on the newly developed Teen Fatherhood Risk Scale were compared across racial and age groups. The sample consisted of 4588 males; 46% were White, 32.5% were Hispanic, and 22% were Black. Results: Among the selected risk factors, multiple regression analysis indicated race was the best predictor of teen fatherhood risk. Black males had significantly higher risk scores. Lifetime marijuana use was the second best predictor. HIV/AIDS education was the best protector against the risk of becoming a teen father. Conclusion: Evidenced-based teen pregnancy prevention programs for racial minority males must be comprehensive, address substance use, and culturally sensitive. Research and policy implications are also discussed.