Att bli respektabel som tonårsmor - En kvalitativ studie av tonårsmödrar på Island

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how teenage mother in Iceland, who lives in the capital Reykjavík, perceive their situation. The research questions are: How do teenage mother`s perceive that their lives have changed since they became mothers? Perceive teenage mother some sorts of shame, and if so, in what way? What is the process of teenage mothers to be respected? Qualitative semi structured interviews with 5 girls in the aged of 18-20, is used for analysis in this study. The girls have in common that they have had their child when they were between 15 and 19 years old. The interview were recorded on tape and then it was transcribed. I coded the selected concept "shame" and "respect" in order to interpret them from the respondents own perceive. The study has an abductive approach, which means that the study is thus governed by both theoretical perspectives and of what I have discovered during the interview. Theoretical points are Goffman (2011) and Scheff (2003) definition of shame. To be able to explain how teenage mothers expressing shame, and because it is connected to the concept of respect. Respect (Skeggs 1999) is used to explain how teenage mothers become respectable. Teenage mothers in this study perceive, it being a mother as a positive unexpected turning point. More of them feel that the mother role has saved them from poor lifestyle often involves drugs, while others feel that they now have a role in life because they didn`t like school anyway. However, many of them feel that being a mom is not quite enough, and they want to go back to school. They perceive shame different, but usually occur shame precisely because of their class position, and because they feel they are failing in school. More of them are ashamed of category teenage mothers, and feel they do not fit into the group. The quest for respect is usually to take care of and care about, and to live as an adult in a heterosexual relationship, in your own apartment. They perceive they are respectable when they show other people who didn`t believe in them, that they are taking care of this situation by their own. After all, one of them wanted to get respect through education and change the structure of the family where none of the women have education.