Date of Award
6-2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Social Work
Department
School of Social Work
First Reader/Committee Chair
Cory Dennis
Abstract
The purpose of this research project was to determine if there was a significant difference between women who had unplanned pregnancies and the amount of information those women received about their pregnancy options regarding parenting, adoption, and abortion, and those who were not. Additionally, the level of information about pregnancy options, and whether it would reduce termination of pregnancies was examined. The aspects explored included the information available to clients and the decision making process for women who have experienced an unplanned pregnancy. The methods for this study involved using an anonymous survey via Survey Monkey. Additionally, this study examined the importance of clients being informed and the role information plays in the social work field. A detailed examination of the research which has been conducted in pregnancy options counseling and what that counseling consists of was conducted and discussed. An overview of "Woman’s Right to Know Laws" was also addressed and what theories have an impact on what woman experience during an unplanned pregnancy. Finally, an independent samples t-test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences between groups of women who had chosen to keep and parent their child, those who chose to have an abortion, and those who chose to relinquish their child for adoption and the amount of information they received about their pregnancy options. The study found a significant difference between women who chose to parent their children and women who iv
chose to have an abortion in terms of the level of information they were provided about those options. The abortion group received significantly more information about abortion than the parenting group. This may be due to the type of information received being more about cost and recovery periods versus the actual abortion procedure and mental health concerns post-abortion. Based on the findings, most women know what they will do in the case of an unplanned pregnancy and only a significant intervention will change their course of action. Based on the findings, educating women about their pregnancy options will not change their decision to keep, abort or relinquish their child for adoption. Instead, prevention efforts are more effective in preventing abortion than providing them with information.
Recommended Citation
Stallings, Jamie M., "INFORMED: THE IMPACT ON DECESION MAKING DURING AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY" (2014). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 73.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/73