A Measurement of Self-Esteem in Pregnant Teenagers

Abstract

Low self-esteem is often viewed as an important factor in unprotected sexual activity and pregnancy in adolescents. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the level of self-esteem in single pregnant teenagers. The Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory (CFSEI) and a researcher-developed demographic questionnaire were used to measure self-esteem in 19 pregnant teenagers and to gather demographic information about them The mean score for total self-esteem was 16.4, which is an intermediate level of self-esteem according to Battle's classification of scores. Mean scores for general self-esteem (6.31), academic self-esteem (3.68), parental self-esteem (3.37), and social self-esteem (3. 15) were also at intermediate levels. The pregnant teenagers in this study did not have low self-esteem according to Battle's general population norms. Suggestions for further research include replication of this study with a larger sample and comparison of self-esteem in pregnant and nonpregnant teenagers.