Family developmental tasks of pregnant teenage wives from southern Thailand

Family Developmental Tasks of Pregnant Teenage Wives
from Southern Thailand
Abstract
This study investigated family developmental tasks of first time pregnant teenage wives and the predictors (demographic characteristics) of family developmental tasks of pregnant teenage wives, within the context of the marital relationship. One-hundred and twenty subjects completed a researcher-developed questionnaire and were interviewed, regarding their demographic characteristics and family developmental tasks (physical and house maintenance needs; psychological needs; economic and social needs; and, sexual relationship and family planning needs).  Subjects were obtained from one antenatal clinic, located in a province in southern Thailand.  Data gathering occurred over a period of four months. The findings revealed the subjects’ family developmental tasks, with the highest percentile rank within the possible range of scores, was psychological needs; while those with the lowest percentile rank were sexual relationship and family planning needs.  Only the demographic characteristic, relationship between wives and husbands, was found to predict family developmental tasks.  This study provides information that may prove useful in premarital counseling of southern Thai teenagers regarding specific family developmental tasks.  The knowledge gained from this study also may be helpful to health care professionals, working with teenagers in southern Thailand, in understanding various aspects of family developmental tasks.