The experience of repeated fatherhood during adolescence

Objectiveto examine how adolescent fathers experience recurring parenthood.Designqualitative study with a social phenomenological focus.Participantsfive fathers between 16 and 19 years of age, each with two children.Findingsthe participants perceived themselves as mature, responsible, worried about the care and education of their children, and desiring a secure future life. These factors made them seek employment, their own home, marital stability, construction of a family and return to school. They experienced the ambivalence of desiring one reality and living another, given that, as adolescent parents, they regretted the loss of their freedom.Key conclusionsrecurring parenthood in adolescence is a complex phenomenon, with many possible perceptions. The diverse experiences depend on the social context that is defined by the wishes, plans, possibilities and meanings of each distinct social class.Implications for practicecare delivery to these adolescents should consider not only theoretical and chronobiological aspects, but also the experiences of these young people and the psychosocial and cultural factors involved in their fatherhood.