The relationship between perceived satisfaction of social supports, locus of control, and beliefs in the efficacy of help -seeking behaviors: Implications in the mobilization of social supports among adolescent mothers

Adolescent parenting has been a major concern in our society due to the numerous negative consequences associated with parenting at an early age. Social supports have been indicated as an important factor in improving outcomes of stressful life events, as well as better overall adjustment. Specifically, social supports can provide adolescent mothers with the necessary support to improve well being for themselves as well as their children. With this in mind, it is useful to explore factors that may influence support mobilization among adolescent mothers. In the present study, the relationship between perceived satisfaction of social supports, locus of control, and beliefs in the efficacy of help seeking behaviors, as they relate to the mobilization of social supports was examined. In addition, other factors that may influence support mobilization, such as depression, perceived stress, and psychosocial development were also examined. The sample consisted of 85 adolescent mothers with ages ranging from 15–25 years of age. Participants were drawn from a social service agency which provides supportive services for pregnant and parenting teens. The participants completed a battery of self-report measures consisting of: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale, The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale (Adult Version), The Efficacy of Help Seeking, The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, The Perceived Stress Scale, and The Erikson Psychosocial Stages Inventory. Participants also completed a demographic sheet to gather background information. Overall results indicate that, although a direct link between the variables examined in this study and the mobilization of social supports cannot be stated explicitly, it appears they can exert some influence on the choices adolescent mothers make in terms of mobilizing social supports. For example, an internal locus of control was found to be significantly associated with more perceived satisfaction with social supports, more positive beliefs in the efficacy of help seeking, lower levels of depression, and less perceived stress. Additional analyses indicated locus of control has a mediational effect on the relationship between Perceived Stress and the outcome variables. Exploratory analyses also indicated that psychosocial development may also influence support mobilization. The present study can be useful in terms of service development and implementation for adolescent mothers