Challenges and Experiences faced by Teenage Moms: A Narrative

Analysis held in Barangay Mat-I

Camomot, Cherry Mae

Pagobo, Jeann
Tirol, Raniell

COMMON RESEARCH DESIGNS

Cross- Sectional- is a research tool used to capture information based on data gathered for a
specific point in time. The data gathered is from a pool of participants with varied characteristics
and demographics known as variables. Age, gender, income, education, geographical locations,
and ethnicity are all examples of variables. The variables, or demographics, used in a single
study are based on the type of research being conducted and on what the study aims to prove
or validate. The research findings help remove assumptions and replace them with actual data
on the specific variables studied during the time period accounted for in the cross-sectional
study.
This type of study is used across various industries. These industries include (but are not limited
to) business, psychology, social science, retail, medicine, education, religion, and government.
In each of these industries, cross-sectional research provides important data that informs all
kinds of actions. For business marketing, in particular, this tool is used to learn more about
various demographics for the purpose of analyzing target markets to sell to or introduce
products and services.
Example Research Study: Teenage Pregnancy and Its Associated Factors among School
Adolescents of Arba Minch Town, Southern Ethiopia
Institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from 20–30 March 2014. Systematic
sampling technique was used to select a total of 578 students from four schools of the town.
Data were collected by trained data collectors using a pre-tested, self-administered structured
questionnaire. Analysis was made using SPSS version 20.0 statistical packages. Multivariate
logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of teenage pregnancy.

Longitudinal- A longitudinal study is a type of observational and correlational study that

involves monitoring a population over an extended period of time. In longitudinal studies,
researchers do not manipulate any variables or interfere with the environment. Instead, they
simply conduct observations on the same group of subjects over a period of time. It enabling
researchers to discover cause and effect relationships between variables.
Example Research Study: Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies
occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African women
This longitudinal study aimed to describe the range of risk and protective factors for incident
unwanted and unplanned pregnancies occurring over 2 years of follow-up among a cohort of
adolescent women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It also investigated the relationship
between gender inequality and gender-based violence and subsequent unplanned and
unwanted pregnancies among the cohort. Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage
pregnancies occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African
women

Quasi-Experimental- is a non-randomized study design used to evaluate the effect of an

intervention. The intervention can be a training program, a policy change or a medical
treatment. The researcher often does not have control over the treatment, but instead
studies preexisting groups that received different treatments after the fact.
Example Research Study: Evaluation of a reproductive health awareness program for
adolescence in urban Tanzania-A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test research
A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design was conducted to evaluate
adolescents' knowledge, attitude, and behavior about reproductive health before and after the
program. Data were collected from students aged 11 to 16, at Ilala Municipal, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania. An anonymous 23-item questionnaire provided the data. The program was conducted
using a picture drama, reproductive health materials and group discussion.

Pure Experimental- The true experimental research design relies on statistical analysis to
approve or disprove a hypothesis. It is the most accurate type of experimental design and
may be carried out with or without a pretest on at least 2 randomly assigned dependent
subjects. The true experimental research design must contain a control group, a variable that
can be manipulated by the researcher, and the distribution must be random.
Example Research Study:

Descriptive- is a research design that is used to investigate different phenomenon and

situations. It always targets to answer questions like how the situation happen, when in terms of
the time or date, where in terms of the place it happened, and what the issue or phenomenon is
Example Research Study: Profile of Teenage Pregnancy in H. Adam Malik Hospital
Medan In 2011-2015
This research is descriptive study of secondary data, that is collection and analysis of data
based on medical record of adolescent pregnant patient treated in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of H. Adam Malik Hospital in the period of 1 January 2011-31 December 2015.
The sample of this study amounted to 128 people, with inclusion criteria of pregnant women
with age under 20 years in Obstetrics and Gynecology section in the period January 1, 2011-
December 21 2015 and had a complete medical record.

Exploratory- Exploratory research explores the dimensions of a phenomenon, or develops or

refines hypotheses about the relationships between phenomena. It seeks to learn how people
get along in the setting in question, what meanings they give to their actions, and what issues
concern them. Exploratory research is used to investigate a phenomenon on which little
knowledge exists (Polit & Beck 2012:728)
Example Research Study: Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy as reported by
learners at Mpolokang High School in the North West Province
The aim of the study was to explore factors contributing to teenage pregnancy within the
secondary school environment Methods: This was an exploratory and descriptive study. Focus
group interviews were conducted with the learners from Grade 10 – 12, aged 15 - 19.
Results: It was found that factors contributing to teenage pregnancy at Mpolokang High School
were openness and transparency, sexual practices, access to the government grant, peer
influence, lack of recreational facilities, substance abuse by the learners and attitudes of Health
Care Workers at Moshana clinic.
Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that although sex education is now part of the
Life Skills programme in schools, teenagers still fall pregnant due to lack of openness and
transparency when discussing sexual matters.

Explanatory- is a systematic approach to understanding events, behaviors, or situations. It

involves identifying a problem or issue and then collecting data in an effort to explain why it
exists. Explanatory research can be used to identify the causes of problems or to understand
the factors that influence behavior. In many cases, explanatory research is used to develop
hypotheses that can be tested through experimentation.

Example Research Study: Adolescent pregnant women’s health practices and their
impact on maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes: a mixed method study protocol
This mixed-method study with the sequential explanatory design has two phases. The first
phase (quantitative phase) is a prospective study to assess the adolescent pregnant women’s
health practices and its relationship with maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes who live in
Tehran, the capital city of Iran. A cluster sampling method will be used to select 316 adolescent
pregnant women who visit health centers in Tehran. The second phase is a qualitative study
designed to explore the adolescent pregnant women’s perception of important aspects and
factors of health practices that can affect their health outcomes. In this phase, purposive
sampling and in-depth individual interviews will be conducted for data collection. The
conventional content analysis approach will be employed for data analysis. In addition to
literature review and nominal group technique, the findings of the qualitative and quantitative
phases, will be used to recommend some strategies to support adolescent pregnant women to
improve their health practices during pregnancy.