Resilience in pregnant adolescents of the Colom-bian Caribbean, evaluation with the Wagnild and Young scale

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescents present biological changes and receive social influences which predispose them to pregnancies at early age. Objective: To evaluate resilience in a group of pregnant adolescents, to estimate the frequency of low resilience level and identify associated psychosocial factors. Methodology: Crosssectional study in pregnant adolescents who went to prenatal visit in Cartagena, Colombia. A sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and validated scales on resilience, familism, religiosity, spirituality, family functionality, partner violence, happiness and selfesteem were applied. Two groups were compared: high/moderate resilience level (HMRL) and low resilience level (LRL). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with LRL. Results: 499 pregnant adolescents were studied, average age 17 years, half belonging to dysfunctional families. Sixty four (12,8%) had LRL and were associated factors: low familism OR: 4,736 (IC95%: 2,673-8,392), low selfesteem OR: 4,257 (IC95%: 1,363-13,295), family dysfunction OR: 3,902 (IC95%: 2,052-7,422), partner violence OR:2,689 (IC95%: 1,082-6,678), poor spirituality OR: 2,503 (IC95%: 1,461-4,287) and reduced happiness OR: 2,063 (IC95%: 1,214-3,506). Conclusion: In a city of the Colombian Caribbean, in thirteen of every one hundred pregnant adolescents who attend to prenatal visit, LRL was found. Family dysfunction, partner violence in pregnancy, poor spirituality, reduced subjective happiness, low familism and low level of self-esteem, were associated with LRL.

Keywords

• adolescent health services
• pregnancy in adolescence
• resilience psychological
• risk factors