Voices of the village : teenage pregnancy prevention for African American girls

Abstract

With increasing teenage pregnancy rates among Blacks in the United States and the negative impact on families, it is important that practitioners and communities acknowledge the changes in society. According to the research, the influence of the media, entertainment industry and technology weigh heavily on the behavior and interactions of teens. Building on Erikson’s Theory of Identity Development, sexual scripts which are drawn from hip-hop culture are utilized as points of entrance and tools for reeducating Black adolescents and preventing teenage pregnancy. Finally, intervention and prevention strategies that educate teenage girls around sexual scripts and utilize personal narratives are essential to reducing teen pregnancy are presented.