COURAGE: THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF TEENAGE MOTHERS OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Abstract

The teenage years, often seen as a time of intense emotions and change, are essential for self-discovery and laying the foundation for future success, encompassing critical brain development, identity formation and social skills. Despite being romanticized as a period of limitless possibilities, this stage can be disrupted by unexpected events like pregnancy for some women, which demand significant and major adjustments. Teenage mothers often struggle with social acceptance, finding it challenging to maintain existing friendships or form new ones due to time constraints and societal judgment, which can aggravate mental health issues such as loneliness. Seeking support from family, friends, engaging in self-care, or joining support groups becomes crucial for their well-being. This research investigates into the intricate web of consequences associated with teenage pregnancy in social integration in school, peer connections, socialization, discrimination, and coping mechanisms of adolescent mother students at the International School of Asia and the Pacific. This research utilized qualitative research method looking to the phenomenology of teenage mothers’ students of International School of Asia and the Pacific. Ten (10) conversational partners participated in this study. The results unveil 7 emergent themes upon analyzing the data. The emergent themes are: Crucial Changes, Ostracism, Unequal Paths, Relentless Tenacity, Adaptive Coping Mechanism, Growth, and Evolving Together which then show the central theme “COURAGE”.