Unwed Mother:A Socio-Legal Study

Context: This research evaluated the effects of a social support program on young unwed mothers. Measures of social support, stress, affect, and life events were compiled by 15 program participants and 15 matched controls before and after the program six months later. The results showed significant increases in the size of the family and friend network for program participants relative to controls. Also, program participants reported more involvement in work and school and maintained a high level of positive affect significantly more than controls. The two groups did not differ in reported levels of stress. The implications of the findings for future research and program development were discussed.