Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristics of Social Support Among Teenage, Optimal Age, and Advanced Age Women in Canada: An Analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth

  • Published:
Maternal and Child Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background Social support is highly valued and beneficial for women, especially after childbirth. The objective was to examine the differences of social support reported among teen, optimal age, and advanced age women, and to identify the characteristics associated with social support separately for each age group. Methods This was a cross-sectional analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Primiparous women with infants were grouped into: teen (15–19 years), optimal age (20–34 years), and advanced age (35 years and older). The outcome was social support (Social Provisions Scale), and demographic, socio-economic, health, community, and infant characteristics were considered for stepwise linear regression, separately for the groups. Results Total of 455,022 mothers was analyzed. Teens had the lowest social support (Mean = 17.56) compared to other groups (Means = 19.07 and 19.05; p < 0.001). Teens’ volunteer involvement was associated with an increase in social support (Adjβ 2.77; 95%CI 0.86, 4.68), and depression was associated with a decrease (Adjβ −0.12; 95%CI −0.22, −0.02). Optimal age women’s support significantly increased with maternal age (Adjβ 0.07; 95%CI 0.02,0.12), working status (Adjβ 0.60; 95%CI 0.13,1.07), and with chronic condition(s) (Adjβ 0.59; 95%CI 0.16,1.02), while it decreased with depression (Adjβ −0.05; 95%CI −0.10, −0.01) and ever-immigrants (Adjβ −1.67; 95%CI −2.29, −1.04). Use of childcare was associated with increased support among women in advanced age group (Adjβ 1.58; 95%CI 0.12, 3.04). For all groups, social support was significantly associated with neighbourhood safety. Conclusion The characteristics associated with social support varied among the three age groups. The findings may help promote awareness of the essential needs to increase support, especially for teens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albrecht, T. L., & Adelman, M. B. (1987). Communicating social support: A theoretical perspective. In T. L. Albrecht & M. B. Adelman (Eds.), Communicating social support (pp. 18–39). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baheiraei, A., Mirghafourvand, M., Mohammadi, E., Charandabi, S. M-A., & Nedjat, S. (2012). Social support for women of reproductive age and its predictors: A population-based study. BMC Women’s Health, 12, 30–37.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bayrampour, H., Heaman, M., Duncan, K. A., & Tough, S. (2012). Advanced maternal age and risk perception: A qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 12, 100–113.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., & Lumley, J. (1998). Maternal health after childbirth: Results of an Australian population based survey. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 105, 156–161.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, X. K., Wen, S. W., Fleming, N., Demissie, K., Rhoads, G. G., & Walker, M. (2007). Teenage pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes: A large population based retrospective cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 36(2), 368–373.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary-Goldman, J., Malone, F. D., Vidaver, J., Ball, R. H., Nyberg, D. A., Comstock, C. H., et al. (2005). Impact of maternal age on obstetric outcome. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 105(5), 983–990.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C. E., & Russell, D. W. (1987). The provisions of social relationships and adaptation to stress. Advances in Personal Relationships, 1, 37–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Jesus, M., Puleo, E., Shelton, R. C., & Emmons, K. M. (2010). Associations between perceived social environment and neighborhood safety: Health implications. Health & Place, 16, 1007–1013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairbrother, N. (2011). Social Support. Visions Journal, 6(4), 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo, B., Bifulco, A., Pacheco, A., Costa, R., & Magarinho, R. (2006). Teenage pregnancy, attachment style, and depression: A comparison of teenage and adult pregnant women in Portuguese series. Attachment & Human Development, 8(2), 123–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, S. H. (2007). Depression in mothers. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 3, 107–135.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, J. (1998). Social Networks, gender, and immigrant incorporation: Resources and constraints. American Sociological Review, 63(1), 55–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, T. H. M., Connolly, J. A., & Tamim, H. (2014). The effect of social support around pregnancy on postpartum depression among Canadian teen mothers and adult mothers in the maternity experiences survey. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 14, 162–171.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C. M., Scarborough, M., Rose, C., & Quirin, K. B. (2007). Fighting stigma: An adolescent mother takes action. Journal of Women and Social Work, 22, 302–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logsdon, C. M., Birkimer, J. C., Ratterman, A., Cahill, K., & Cahill, N. (2002). Social support in pregnant and parenting adolescents: Research, critique, and recommendations. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 15(2), 75–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Loke, A. Y., & Poon, C. F. (2011). The health concerns and behaviours of primigravida: Comparing advanced age pregnant women with their younger counterparts. Journal of Clnical Nursing, 20, 1141–1150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McVeigh, C., & Smith, M. (2000). A comparison of adult and teenage mother’s self-esteem and satisfaction with social support. Midwifery, 16, 269–276.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller-Loncar, C. L., Erwin, L. J., Landry, S. H., Smith, K. E., & Swank, P. R. (1998). Characteristics of social support networks of low socioeconomic status African American, Anglo American, and Mexican American mothers of full-term and preterm infants. Journal of Community Psychology, 26(2), 131–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulherin, K., & Johnstone, M. (2015). Qualitative accounts of teenage and emerging adult women adjusting to motherhood. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 33(4), 388–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oulman, E., Kim, T. H. M., Yunis, K., & Tamim, H. (2015). Prevalence and predictors of unintended pregnancy among women: An analysis of the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 15, 260–268.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Primomo, J., Yates, B. C., & Woods, N. F. (1990). Social support for women during chronic illness: The relationships among sources and types to adjustment. Research in Nursing & Health, 13, 153–161.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kingston, D., Heaman, M., Fell, D., Chalmers, B., and the Maternity Experiences Study Group of the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System, Public Health Agency of Canada (2012). Comparison of adolescent, young adult, and adult women’s maternity experiences and practices. Pediatrics, 129, e1228–e1237

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puyat, J. H. (2013). Is the influence of social support on mental health the same for immigrants and nonimmigrants? Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 15(3), 598–605.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ruchala, P. L., & James, D. C. (1997). Social support, knowledge of infant development, and maternal confidence among adolescent and adult mothers. JOGNN, 26, 685–689.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D., Cutrona, C. E., Rose, J., & Yurko, K. (1984). Social and emotional loneliness: An examination of Weiss’s typology of loneliness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 1313–1321.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shah, M. K., Gee, R. E., & Theall, K. P. (2014). Partner support and impact on birth outcomes among teen pregnancies in the United States. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, 27, 14–19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2011). “Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada: National Household Survey, 2011”. Analytical document. Statistics Canada catalogue no. 99-010-X2011001. pp. 1–23. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-010-x/99-010-x2011001-eng.pdf (Accessed December 29, 2015).

  • Statistics Canada. (2015a). “Table 102–4507 – Live births, by age and marital status of mother, Canada, annual” http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&retrLang=eng&id=1024507&tabMode=dataTable&srchLan=-1&p1=-1&p2=9#F1 (Accessed: December 29, 2015).

  • Statistics Canada. (2015b). “Table 282-0002 – Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by sex and detailed age group, annual (persons unless otherwise noted)” http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=2820002 (Accessed: December 29, 2015).

  • Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (2009). National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. User’s Handbook and Microdata Guide. Minister of Industry, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Verreault, N., Da Costa, D., Marchand, A., Ireland, K., Dritsa, M., & Khalife, S. (2014). Rates and risk factors associated with depressive symptoms during pregnancy and with postpartum onset. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 35(3), 84–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viau, P. A., Padula, C. A., & Eddy, B. (2002). An exploration of health concerns & health-promotion behaviors in pregnant women over age 35. MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing, 27, 328–334.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wahn, E. H., & Nissen, E. (2008). Sociodemographic background, lifestyle and psychosocial conditions of Swedish teenage mothers and their perception of health and social support during pregnancy and childbirth. Journal of Public Health, 36, 415–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, W. H. B., & Kelsey, T. W. (2010). Human ovarian reserve from conception to the menopause. PLoS ONE, 5(1), e8772.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, P. (2005). First-time mothers: Social support and confidence in infant care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 50, 479–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. (2012). Volunteerism Research: A Review Essay. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 41(2), 176–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Research and analysis are based on data from Statistics Canada. The opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada. We would like to thank the analysts at the York Region Statistics Canada Research Data Centre.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Theresa H. M. Kim, Michael Rotondi & Hala Tamim

  2. Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jennifer Connolly

Authors
  1. Theresa H. M. Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael Rotondi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer Connolly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hala Tamim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Theresa H. M. Kim.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kim, T.H.M., Rotondi, M., Connolly, J. et al. Characteristics of Social Support Among Teenage, Optimal Age, and Advanced Age Women in Canada: An Analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Matern Child Health J 21, 1417–1427 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2249-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2249-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation