Emotional support for adolescents who opted for termination of pregnancy: research

Abstract

The ";Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act"; (CTOP) (No. 92 of 1996), is viewed by most women as a means by which their wishes and expectations will be realised for the first time (Orr, 1995: 140). Women now have the opportunity to terminate a pregnancy under supervision, and are able to express and share their feelings, without pretending to be emotionally strong. In a research study, Mpshe (2000: 30-50) found that women got counseled on a cognitive level only and therefore guidelines were derived from this research to support women, including adolescents, on a more emotional level (Mpshe, Gmeiner & van Wyk, 2002). From the qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research study conducted to identify the experiences of adolescents who chose to terminate a pregnancy, data was collected and themes and sub-themes were identified. The data from the interviews, as well as the literature, formed the basis for deriving guidelines to support these adolescents on an emotional level. The focus of this article is on the description of guidelines for support for these adolescents in order to promote their mental health. Guidelines include a framework for supportive counselling consisting of a pre-termination phase, an intra-termination phase, and a post-termination phase. These guidelines are discussed in depth in this article.



Die "; Wet op Keuse van Terminasie van Swangerskap"; (No. 92 van 1996) word deur meeste vroue gesien as 'n manier waarop daar vir die eerste keer in hul wense en verwagtinge voldoen word (Orr, 1995). Vroue kan nou wettiglik hulle swangerskap onder supervisie beëindig. Hulle kan ook nou hulle gevoelens uitdruk en deel sonder om voor te gee dat hulle emosioneel sterk is. In 'n navorsingsprojek uitgevoer deur Mpshe (2000: 30-50) is gevind dat vroue slegs berading op 'n kognitiewe vlak ontvang. Daar is vanuit hierdie navorsing riglyne gederiveer om vroue, insluitend adolessente op 'n meer emosionale vlak te ondersteun (Mpshe, Gmeiner & Van Wyk, 2002). 'n Kwalitatiewe, verkennende, beskrywende en kontekstuele navorsingstudie is gedoen om adolessente, wie gekies het om hul swangerskap te termineer, se ervaringe te identifiseer. Die data vanuit die onderhoude, sowel as die literatuur, het die basis gevorm vir die derivering van riglyne om hierdie adolessente te ondersteun op 'n meer emosionele vlak. Die fokus van hierdie artikel is die beskrywing van riglyne vir ondersteuning aan hierdie adolessente om sodoende hul geestesgesondheid te bevorder. Riglyne sluit 'n raamwerk vir ondersteunende berading in en bestaan uit 'n pre-terminasie fase, 'n terminasie fase en 'n post-terminasie fase. Hierdie riglyne word volledig in hierdie artikel bespreek.


(Health SA Gesondheid : interdisciplinary research journal: 2002 7(4): 14-23)