Background. Many social and demographic correlates of
psychiatric disorder have shown marked
secular changes in recent decades. This study was designed to explore some
of the implications of
these trends, focusing on the illustrative case of teenage motherhood.
Method. Prospective data from two British birth cohort studies
(the 1946 and 1958 cohorts) were
used to examine the social, educational and behavioural precursors of
teenage versus older age at
motherhood, and the implications of teenage motherhood for women's
later marital and social
circumstances and risks of psychiatric morbidity, in samples born 12 years
apart.
Results. Educational and social disadvantage were associated
with
similarly increased risks of
teenage motherhood in both cohorts, but the findings suggested an additional
association with
teacher-rated adolescent conduct problems in the more recent sample. Rates
of teacher-rated
emotional problems were not elevated among teenage mothers in either cohort.
In adult life,
teenage motherhood was associated with a range of adverse social outcomes,
including partnership
breakdowns, large family size, and poorer housing conditions. Relative
risks of these adult
adversities were similar for teenage mothers in the two cohorts, but
absolute levels of adversity
were higher in the more recent sample, reflecting general secular changes
in many of the indicators
involved. In the later, but not the earlier, cohort, teenage motherhood
was also associated with
increased risks for psychiatric morbidity in adulthood.
Conclusions. The findings underline the importance of taking
account of secular trends in examining the impact of psychosocial risks.