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Nursing graduates must be sophisticated in the use of information technologies and understand how these technologies interface with various health care systems. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a newly developed Internet course, focusing on current information technologies, on 20 RN-to-MSN students. Author-developed instruments were used to measure weekly computer use, perceived computer skill, and knowledge related to the information superhighway. The Stronge & Brodt Nurses Attitudes Toward Computerization Questionnaire was used to assess attitudes toward computerization. Qualitative data was elicited using weekly evaluation forms. When compared to 23 students at a similar stage of their nursing program, quantitative findings indicated that, at the end of the semester, students in the pilot course had more computer knowledge, reported greater computer skill, and used computers more. Qualitative findings suggested that pilot students: * Were connected with nursing networks and expressed their intent to maintain these networks. * Were able to use current health information found on the Internet in their nursing practices. * Used skills learned in the pilot class to complete projects in other classes. * Communicated with classmates via the Internet, thus forming a potentially valuable professional support system. * Used the library and librarians early in their programs. * Understood the relevancy of telemedicine and the Internet to the future survival of nursing in a changing health care arena. While the authors caution that an adequate infrastructure must be available to support such an endeavor, they emphasize that knowledge of the relevancy and use of the information superhighway is crucial to the future survival of nursing in a rapidly changing health care arena.

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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine how the degree of depressive symptomatology among adolescent mothers differentiated maternal outcomes, social support, and coping at 6 months postpartum. METHODS: Fifty primiparous adolescents, predominantly black and of low income, participated in the study. During a home visit at 6 months postpartum, a research assistant, blind to the study's hypotheses, administered questionnaires related to depressive symptoms, coping with motherhood, social support, maternal confidence, and maternal gratification. Feeding and teaching interactions between mother and child were observed. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of the subjects had no depressive symptoms (group 1), 20% reported mild symptoms (group 2), and 24% reported moderate to severe symptoms (group 3). Adolescents with mild or moderate depressive symptoms had more negative feeding interactions with their infants, reported less maternal confidence and gratification, and used more emotion-focused coping than their nondepressed counterparts. While the groups did not differ in the frequency with which they received social support, adolescents with mild or moderate depressive symptoms were less satisfied with this support. No differences were found among groups with regard to the size of their conflicted networks. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends the research findings related to depressive symptoms among adult mothers to a sample of adolescent mothers. Although the study design is crosssectional and therefore causal sequences cannot be determined, the results identify factors that may place certain adolescents at risk for problems in parenting. The authors suggest screening adolescent mothers during the first postpartum year for symptoms of depression.

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Of 43 adolescent mothers who had been enrolled in a specialized program of prenatal care, 20 reported no subsequent unplanned pregnancy for 2 years. Descriptive statistics were used to identify differences between these nonrepeaters and 23 repeaters. The locus-of-control framework provided the theoretical basis for the study. The two study groups and those lost to follow-up were similar in demographic characteristics. School attendance, contraceptive knowledge, use of contraception, locus of control, and maternal support did not effectively differentiate the two groups. Program activities, including attendance at prenatal groups and nurse/social worker visits, also did not explain recidivism. Implications of these findings for health care providers and for further research are discussed.

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Data are reviewed that support the hypothesis that many adolescents interact with their infants in ways that may increase the infant's risk of developmental delay. The negative, long-term consequences of adolescent child-bearing create an environment that also augments this risk. Early intervention programs developed to address such risks are reviewed regarding their focus and content. Research designs used to evaluate their effectiveness are critiqued. The confounding of treatment approach with the frequency of contacts is a major limitation preventing an adequate evaluation of results. However, it is emphasized that despite a diversity of approaches to treatment and a lack of understanding as to what is responsible for the changes, intervention programs have been successful in improving adolescent maternal-infant interactions and/or enhancing infant development.

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This report describes the perceived stressors, coping strategies, and social supports of a group of adolescent mothers during their first month at home after delivery. In addition to concerns about the baby and the limitations imposed by motherhood, many of the young mothers considered their interpersonal relationships as problematic. Findings suggest that the puerperium was not a time of major distress for most of these young women. Factors contributing to a relatively smooth transition to motherhood were the adolescent's use of anticipatory coping prior to the birth, their extensive reliance on family support once at home, and their past experience with childcare. Sharing childcare with the family was an important component of the support received by these adolescents, and it is suggested that the adolescent's mobilization of social supports may be essential to ther adaptation to motherhood. Professionals were infrequently mentioned as sources of support even though a majority of the sample participated in special adolescent maternity programs. Finally, findings also suggest that problem-focused coping was used more often when dealing with concrete stressors, while emotion-focused coping was used more in response to interpersonal problems.

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Nursing research has begun to explore the ways in which patients cope with the deleterious effects of physiological and psychological stressors, but the complexity of the construct of coping has been understated in such investigations. Clinical research in this area should reflect an appreciation of the multidimensionality of coping; the change that occurs in coping and its outcomes over time and across contexts; the salient variables that can affect the coping process, including stressor characteristics, environmental resources, and personal characteristics; and, the reciprocal nature of the relationship between coping and its adaptational outcomes.

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To determine the nature of the stresses experienced by teenage fathers, 20 youths (mean age, 17.6 years) were interviewed from one to four times during the prenatal period and at four to six weeks following delivery. While all conceptions had occurred premaritally, most couples had married by the time of delivery. A total of 44 interviews were performed: four during first trimester, 12 during second trimester, 17 during third trimester, and 11 postpartum. Stressors reported by the subjects were grouped into four categories: vocational-educational concerns, concerns about the health of the mother and/or the baby, concerns about future parenthood, and problems with relationships. It was found that the intensity of these concerns changed throughout pregnancy and the neonatal period. Subjects who had expected the pregnancy to occur tended to report less stress during the third trimester than did teens who had not anticipated conception.

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Twenty expectant adolescent fathers were interviewed during the course of their partners' pregnancies. Ten coping strategies used by these subjects in response to the upcoming transition to fatherhood were identified. These coping strategies were categorized according to the Lazarus paradigm as direct actions, information-seeking, intrapsychic processes, and inhibition of action. These strategies dealt either with the potential problem (i.e., fatherhood) or the accompanying stressful emotions.

PIP: 20 expectant adolescent fathers were interviewed during the course of their partners' pregnancies. 10 coping strategies used by these subjects in response to the upcoming transition to fatherhood were identified. These coping strategies were categorized according to the Lazarus paradigm as direct actions, information-seeking, intrapsychic processes, and inhibition of action. These strategies dealth with either the potential problem (e.g, fatherhood) or the accompanying stressful emotions. There is need for further research to clarify how the use of certain coping strategies either aid or hamper the teen's transition to fatherhood. Direct action involved assuming the role of provider and/or helping prepare for the baby, and all 20 used it. 15 fathers sought information by talking with others about fatherhood, observing and evaluating other parents and/or reading about fatherhood and child care. 13 fathers used intrapsychic processes centered on fantasizing about fatherhood and the baby, and reveiwing and evaluating how they were parented. 6 teens changed their social behavior and peer contacts by "settling down" and seeing prospective fatherhood positively.

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Sixteen unwed teenage prospective fathers (mean age, 17.4 years) were studied to evaluate their emotional and health education needs. All were partners of girls enrolled in an adolescent maternity project. Nine teenagers were clinically assessed to be coping well with the pregnancy; 4, to be coping moderately well; and 3, to be coping poorly. Six teenagers were referred for counseling because of clinical evidence of significant depression. In response to a series of 4 questions testing their knowledge of reproductive physiology, 5 subjects answered 3--4 questions correctly; 10, 1--2 correctly; and 1, none. All expressed great interest in learning more about childbirth and childcare. In this select group of teenagers, there was a need for supportive counseling services and teaching in health education. Further research is needed to determine the scope of the problems encountered by unwed teenage fathers in other clinical settings.

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