The lived experience of women who became teenage mothers in different decades

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the lived experience of Maltese mothers who experienced teenage motherhood in different decades. Given that this set out to give a voice to teen mothers, a qualitative methodology was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Semi structured, in-depth interviews with 6 participants were conducted, of whom 3 were 19-20 years old and 3 were 40-41 years old. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to elicit themes from the interviews. The main finding was that both generations experienced very similar life circumstances, especially with regard to adversity and stigma. However, both reported positive outcomes, and highlighted processes of resilience. The only different theme was that relating to changes along the years as perceived by the older cohort. The key policy implications are: the setting-up of a parenting education programme for parents; introducing support programmes for teenage parents; marketing more affordable housing; implementing fairer labour laws; improving street infrastructure; introducing additional services; educating the future generations about sex; eradicating the taboo associated with breastfeeding; and initiating awareness campaigns. The key practice implications are: promoting multigenerational work; and helping teen mothers achieve balanced connectedness with their children. Recommendations for future research have also been presented.