TEENAGE FATHERS

Thirteen in-depth profiles—grouped by the degree of involvement the young men have with their children—strongly reflect the social-work approach of the senior author (Teenagers Face to Face with Bereavement, 1989). A key element here is the synthesis at the close of each chapter, analyzing what fatherhood means to each individual. Also considered are the motives for having children from the women's points of view, giving readers ample evidence to help them recognize which factors enable these young parents to cope. Among them, not surprisingly, are the presence of a father in the young man's birth home and socioeconomic status. These compelling stories let us in on a panoply of scenarios, from the fathering and abandoning of nine babies by age 19 to supportively juggling two different households with children. Well laid out and informative. Bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 14+)