Teenage pregnancy in Malaysia : understanding the importance of social support in relation to coping, resilience and mental health

Losing the social support from family and friends may affect coping, resilience and increase a risk of mental health problems among pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers. This article aims to describe the importance and availability of social support related to coping, resilience and mental health among unwed pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers in Malaysia during their stay in a shelter home. A purposive sampling was employed to select seventeen respondents from 128 unmarried pregnant and teenage mothers; age 10 to 18 years living in four different shelter homes owing that they were pregnancy out of wedlock. The findings are based on analysis of interviews and questionnaires related to social support, ways of coping, resilience and mental health. The study found strong indication in both, the qualitative and quantitative data, that unwed pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers have poor social support in terms of availability and adequacy. Hence, it reflected in their ways of coping, resilience, and put them at risk to develop mental health problems if untreated. The authorities and the staff in shelter homes are advice to take seriously social support aspects, especially from the family since they play a vital role for well-being and mental health of unwed pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers. Special Issue 10