afe' way to give and receive love and may represent an attempted solution to problems related to sexuality."
Teenaged pregnancy frequently occurs in situations wherein the teenager has become disaffected from her family (Tennyson, 1991, p. 84). In such instances, stressors other than teenaged pregnancy have created an imbalance in the family behavioral system that contributes to the development of an environment wherein teenaged pregnancy is more likely to occur.
A variety of reasons underlie the disaffection of young people from their families. One of these factors is abuse both physical and psychological perpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority in the life of a young person (Howing, 1990, pp. 244 249). One of the most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person is a loss of self esteem (Ogata, 1990, pp. 1008 1013). Abuse, and the hopelessness and depression that often stems from abuse, frequently leads to a loss of self esteem (Madonna, 1991, pp. 46 49). The loss
...