Problem behaviors in the male partners of adolescent mothers: A comparison of age-discrepant and age-consistent relationships

Abstract

<p>Adolescent girls in relationships with adult males are more likely to become parents than those involved with adolescent males. Studies are few and limited by confounding socioeconomic characteristics and considerable missing data. This study of low-income pregnant adolescents compares the problem behaviors of the babies' fathers who are at least 5 years older than the mother (age-discrepant) with those who are less than 5 years older (age-consistent). The sample consisted of 173 mothers aged 13&ndash;18 within a cohort of 745 pregnant women recruited from urban and rural WIC sites and stratified to be proportional by race. At a single pregnancy interview, the pregnant mother reported on the father of the baby's behaviors. Data were complete for 171 of the 173 fathers who ranged in age from 13&ndash;65 years. One third (32%) of fathers were age-discrepant. A bivariate analyses found fathers in age-discrepant relationships were more likely to use alcohol (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.7&ndash;5.0), have 6 or more drinks per week (OR 5.0; 95% CI 2.5&ndash;10.0), have more than one other child (OR 15.3; 95% CI 4.9&ndash;48.1), and have children with other women (OR 7.9; 95% CI 3.7&ndash;16.7) than fathers in age-consistent relationships. Controlling for race and residence through logistic regression increased the association between being an age-discrepant father and alcohol use (OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.6&ndash;6.5), heavier alcohol use (OR 6.5; 95% CI 2.7&ndash;15.8), having more than one other child (OR 17.0; 95% CI 5.3&ndash;54.8), and having children with other women (OR 10.6; 95% CI 4.6&ndash;24.6). Multiple linear regression using the problem behavior scale score and controlling for mother's race and residence indicated the average number of problem behaviors for age-discrepant fathers was 3.2 (SD 2.1) and for age-consistent fathers was 1.8 (SD 1.6). That is, age-discrepant fathers have 78% more problem behaviors than age-consistent fathers independent of race and residence. Additional research should identify adolescent females at increased risk for developing a relationship with much older males. Nurses can play an important role in identifying adolescent females at risk and in teaching them to avoid exploitation by older males.</p>