Introduction
The research topic that would like to explore is, “Do shows like 16 & Pregnant promote or discourage teen pregnancy."
I choose this topic because I find it fascinating. In my 20s, I was great fun of this show. I was amazed by research that was released later, arguing that this show had played a significant role in reducing the causes of teen pregnancy. This revelation caught my curiosity as I began to question the validity of this claim. I felt that the show encouraged teen pregnancy by portraying teen mums as glamorous, a characteristic that will be admired by many teens. However, I still entertained the idea that such shows reduced the rate of teen pregnancy by encouraging teens to abstain from sexual intercourse and to use contraceptives.
Additionally, I find the topic of teenage pregnancy fascinating because I feel that most teenagers do not understand the ramifications of their actions. To make matters worse, shows such as 16 & pregnant give them the wrong impression that teen pregnancy can enable them to acquire the luxurious life that they want. I strongly feel that such television shows are offering misguided content that will affect the ability of teenagers to make objective decisions regarding their sexual life.
Teen pregnancy is a weighty matter. According to data released by Centers For Disease and Prevention (Par. 1), 194, 377 babies were born to mothers aged between 15 and 19 years in 2017. This is cause for concern given that most teenagers are not physically, emotionally, and psychologically prepared to raise children (Mongeli et al., p.170; Hetchman, p.570 ). Therefore, exploration of this topic is essential to gain insight that can be used to address this issue. More specifically, it is essential to determine whether televisions shows such as 16 & Pregnant, which are adored by teenagers, can be used as a mechanism of curbing teenage pregnancy.
The inquiry question that I seek to answer is, have teen pregnancy shows decreased teenage pregnancy rates, or has the media glamorized teen pregnancy such that teens get the wrong impression that teen pregnancy is their gateway to stardom and financial stability?
Point of View
To gain more insight into the topic of the impact of television shows on teenage pregnancy, I will seek to answer multiple questions that are related to this topic such as “What are some of the proposed reasons for the decline in teen births?” and “What are some repercussions of the shows like ’16 and Pregnant,’ ‘Teen Mom?’.
Current Knowledge
The knowledge that I currently have regarding the relationship between television shows and teen pregnancy is limited. This is the knowledge that I have acquired from watching the news, reading newspapers, discussing with colleagues, and accidental encounters with the topic. However, I have never taken the time to conduct extensive research on this topic. From now onwards, I will find factual information and credible statistics showing the impact of television shows on teenage pregnancy. This research will enable me to establish whether these shows are encouraging or discouraging teenage pregnancy.
Methodology
The prevailing Corona pandemic has significantly altered the methodology that I initially intended to use. However, I will still use telephone interviews and questionnaires to acquire information. More importantly, I will utilize the internet as a virtual library where I can access scholarly articles and relevant websites such as Planned Pregnancy to derive relevant information.
