Early motherhood: psychological problem or social construct?

The article analyzes the problem of pregnancy and motherhood in adolescence from the point of view of social constructionism. It gives a review of foreign studies which are devoted to this problem, and examines the factors which influence the perception of personality of young mothers by psychologists and social workers. The results of research of typical psychological problems of young mothers in the spheres of personal development and child-parent relations are generalized. The article also identifies the flaws of methodology and design of research works which cause the distortion of their results. It shows the relationship of social policy in respect of young mothers, social status of such mothers, their ethnic belonging, and perceptions of young mothers as a risk group with deviant behavior which have formed in scientific literature.

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