What Works for Disadvantaged and Adolescent Parent Programs: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Social Programs and Interventions for Children. Fact Sheet. Publication #2012-19.

Abstract

In 2010, the declining birth rate among teenagers in the United States reached an historic low, and since 1991, the rate has declined 44 percent. Though this trend is promising, 372,252 teens nevertheless became mothers in 2010. That same year, 41 percent of all births were to unmarried women. Moreover, in 2010, 15 percent of the U.S. population lived in poverty, as did 22 percent of children and 47 percent of children in single-mother families. These statistics underscore the association between single parenthood and childhood poverty; a significant body of research documents the negative implications of teen and non-marital parenthood for children and parents. 5 Therefore, it is important to identify evidence-based parenting programs that focus on the well-being of youth parents and their children.