This work aimed at exploring, throughout an electronic role playing simulation, the attitudes of a convenience sample of male adolescents (N = 125; mean age = 16.87) toward an unplanned pregnancy. The aim of this work was threefold: (1) to describe the emotional and cognitive adolescent reactions and their decisions regarding the pregnancy; (2) to identify the personal attitudes toward adolescent parenthood and the romantic partner; (3) to evaluate the role played by the following factors in predicting the choice of continuing vs. interrupting the pregnancy: (a) personal attitudes toward adolescent parenthood and the romantic partner; (b) relevance of positive and negative attitudes toward continuing the pregnancy or having an abortion; (c) perception of parental attitudes toward adolescent parenthood. Findings highlighted the presence of three main attitudes toward parenthood: parenthood idealization, rejection of commitment, reflection on the event. The parenthood idealization and the rejection of commitment, together with the positive and negative attitudes toward having an abortion, a parental favorable attitude toward pregnancy, and a maternal attitude of support play an important role in guiding the adolescents’ decision-making process.
Keywords: Adolescent males, unplanned pregnancy, decision-making, abortion, electronic role playing simulation
Maria Giulia Olivari, Andrea Bonanomi, Daniela Traficante, Emanuela Confalonieri, If I were Ben: adolescents facing a hypothetical pregnancy in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 2/2016, pp. 63-85, DOI:10.3280/PDS2016-002004